Wankle

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Feeble, shaky, or not firm in movement, as a person who is unsteady on their legs ; giving off light that flickers weakly or sways unevenly
2. Physically frail and wobbly on one's feet ; describing a light that flutters, dims, and brightens irregularly
3. Lacking firmness and balance in how one stands or walks ; referring to a flame or lamp that wavers and flickers unsteadily

Etymology: "Wankle" comes down from Old English "wancol", meaning unsteady, inconstant, or liable to fall. The Old English word was built on a Germanic root that also gave modern German "wankelig", still used for something shaky or wobbly, so the two languages have kept the same sense of unsteadiness for well over a thousand years. The Old English form passed into Middle English as "wankel", and it was a word that could describe a person as much as a thing. Its core idea was never a moral failing; it was a physical wobble, the uncertain footing of someone who might topple over. Over the centuries it has stayed tied to that image of unsteady movement rather than drifting into abstract meanings.

Synonyms: unsteady, wobbly, shaky, unstable, flimsy

Antonyms: steady, stable, firm, sturdy