Quiverer

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person or thing that trembles or shakes visibly due to fear, anxiety, or excitement
2. Someone who exhibits physical movement characterized by rapid slight shaking or vibrations
3. An individual known for even slight, involuntary motions that suggest nervousness or anticipation

Etymology: "Quiverer" is a plain formation: the verb "quiver" with the agent suffix "-er" added, so it names whatever does the quivering. The verb "quiver" has its own history. It is Middle English in origin and probably comes from "quiver", an adjective meaning nimble or active, which is the sense it carried before it came to mean trembling. The suffix "-er" is one of the most productive in English, and it has been attached to verbs for centuries to name a doer, as in "reader" or "singer". The result is a word that reads as a little more exact than "trembler". A quiverer shakes in a rapid, fine motion, which is why the verb suits small, agitated movements such as a lip, a leaf, or a hand, while "shake" covers larger and slower motions. The noun is used mostly in literary contexts, where the fine tremor matters more than the cause.

Synonyms: trembler, shaker, vibrator, shudderer, waverer