Hesitant

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈhɛzɪtənt/

Definitions

1. Reluctant or slow to act because of uncertainty, doubt, or lack of confidence
2. Feeling uncertain or reluctant to take action due to a lack of confidence or clarity in judgment
3. Exhibiting a reluctance to proceed stemming from insecurity or indecision in one's thoughts or actions

Etymology: The Latin verb "haerere" meant "to stick fast," and its frequentative "haesitare" kept that sense of being stuck, so that someone who "haesitans" was literally stuck in place. The jump from physical fixity to mental wavering happened inside Latin itself: a person who cannot move forward because something holds them back is, in a figurative sense, hesitating. English borrowed the adjective directly from this Latin form, so "hesitant" carries the same image of a foot caught in mud. The English word is a borrowing rather than something inherited through French, which is why it looks so close to its Latin source. Its meaning in English has stayed close to the Latin figurative sense: a hesitant person is held back by doubt, not by a physical obstacle.

Synonyms: uncertain, unsure, indecisive, tentative, wavering

Antonyms: confident, decisive, certain, resolute, assured