English
trepidation
Trepidation comes from Latin trepidātiō ‘agitation, confusion, trepidation’, from trepidus ‘nervous’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *trep- ‘to tremble’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*trep-‘to tremble’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtrepidus‘nervous’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEtrepidō‘be agitated’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEtrepidātiō‘agitation, confusion, trepidation’
- Englishearliest quotation 1915trepidation
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*trep-‘to tremble’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtrepidus‘nervous’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEtrepidō‘be agitated’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEtrepidātiō‘agitation, confusion, trepidation’
- Englishearliest quotation 1915trepidation
Earliest quotation: 1915, Edgar Jepson, The Reluctant Duke: “She reached it soon after half-past two. She found…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *trep- ‘to tremble’
trophy, thrive, trope, tropic, troubadour, turpitude, contrive, 31 more
through Latin trepidus ‘nervous’
Today it means
noun Anxiety over the uncertain future or possible ill-occurrence.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *trep- / trepidation