Wabbly

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Exhibiting an unsteady or shaky movement that lacks stability
2. Characterized by shaky or irregular motion that shows a lack of firmness
3. Displaying a tendency to wobble or move unevenly due to imbalance

Etymology: "Wabbly" is simply "wabble" with the adjective-forming suffix "-y" added, which turns a verb-like action into a description of a thing that has that quality. "Wabble" is itself a variant of "wobble," and the two words have long run side by side, with "wabble" the older-looking form and "wobble" the one that became standard in most modern usage. The suffix does the real work here. Adding "-y" to a noun or verb stem to describe something as full of, or characterized by, that quality is one of the most productive patterns in English, as in "bumpy," "sticky," or "flaky." So "wabbly" describes an object or motion that shows the wobbling tendency of "wabble" in a way that is easy to picture: a table with one short leg, or a bicycle rolling over an uneven road.

Synonyms: wobbly, unstable, unsteady

Antonyms: stable, steady, firm