Waverous

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Characterized by an unsteady, flickering, or oscillating quality, like something that wavers or moves back and forth uncertainly
2. Characterized by a quality of instability or indecision, which can manifest as flickering movements or oscillations in form or presence
3. Exhibiting a fluctuating nature that is often uncertain, marked by a lack of steadiness or consistency in movement

Etymology: "Waverous" is "waver" with the suffix "-ous," which English uses to mean "full of" or "characterized by." The suffix came into English through Old French from Latin "-osus," and attaching it to a verb is a routine way of forming adjectives. The word therefore needs no special backstory: it describes something full of wavering, such as an indecisive mood or an unsteady line. The verb "waver" is the more interesting part. It developed from the older verb "wave," as a form that repeats or intensifies the basic action of moving back and forth. Its earliest sense was physical swaying, and the idea of hesitating between choices grew out of that image. A waverous person, then, is one who keeps shifting between opinions rather than one who literally sways.