Waverley

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A historical novel by Sir Walter Scott, published in 1814, following a young English officer's adventures during the Jacobite Rebellion in Scotland
2. The first novel in Sir Walter Scott's famous series, centered on a protagonist named Edward who becomes entangled in the politics of 18th-century Scotland
3. A seminal work of historical fiction by Scott that chronicles a young man's journey through the Scottish Highlands during a period of political turmoil

Etymology: Old English built this name from two parts: "wǣfre", meaning restless or wavering, and "lēah", meaning meadow. Put together, they describe a clearing in the woodland where the trees seemed to sway, as if the place itself were restless. The second element survives in many English place names, where "-ley" or "-leigh" marks an open space among trees or a meadow cut from the forest. The first element, "wǣfre", is the root of the modern "waver," so the name carries the same sense of movement, pictured in the rustle and sway of leaves rather than in any hesitation of mind.