Joltier

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Characterized by more sudden, sharp movements or shocks; exhibiting a greater tendency to cause abrupt disturbances; having a more pronounced quality of being unsteady or bumpy
2. Displaying increased abruptness or unexpectedness in motion or effect; tending to produce stronger or more frequent vibrations or impacts; marked by heightened irregular jolting sensations
3. Showing an enhanced degree of rapid, erratic shifts; possessing a rougher, more turbulent nature of movement or sensation; inclined to cause more noticeable startles or jerks in an environment or object

Etymology: "Joltier" is the comparative of "jolty," so it means "more abruptly bumpy," and it is the form you reach for when one stretch of road is rougher than another. The comparative follows the usual English pattern: the adjective "jolty" takes the ending "-ier," just as "happy" becomes "happier." The base word, "jolty," is built from "jolt" plus the suffix "-y," which turns a noun or verb into an adjective meaning "characterized by" or "having the quality of" the base. A jolt is a sudden, sharp shake or shock, so a jolty ride is one full of such shakes. Because the word is a plain formation from two familiar English parts, its history is simple: the meaning follows directly from the sense of "jolt" in each piece.

Synonyms: more jerky, more bumpy, more shaky, more abrupt, more sudden

Antonyms: smoother, steadier, calmer