Palpitant

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Marked by a rhythmic and often rapid thumping sensation that might indicate medical distress
2. Showing a strong, steady throbbing or beating movement similar to a heartbeat
3. Characterized by a continual rhythmic pulsing that may be felt or sensed

Etymology: "Palpitant" entered English from French, where "palpitant" was the present participle of "palpiter," meaning to throb or flutter. That French verb came from Latin "palpitare," a frequentative of "palpare," to touch or stroke gently, so the English adjective carries the sense of something that keeps moving under touch. The Latin root preserves a physical image: a quivering or fluttering motion that can be felt with the hand. Over time the word narrowed its focus to the pulse of a beating heart, and the English use retains that sense of a rhythm you can sense from the inside or the outside. The noun "palpitation," which describes the same rapid beating, comes from the same Latin source.

Synonyms: pulsating, throbbing, beating, fluttering, quivering

Antonyms: still, calm, motionless, inactive, stable