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Where does the word "tremble" come from? It comes from Vulgar Latin tremulare, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Read the full story
Where does the word "tremble" come from? It comes from Vulgar Latin tremulare, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Tremble’s story begins in Vulgar Latin: tremulare meant “to quiver.” From 'tremere', to shake, the root of 'tremor'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as trembler. The root of 'tremor' and 'tremulous'. It reached English by 1300s as tremble. 'all of a tremble' dates from the 1700s. Today, tremble means to shake involuntarily.
- Stage 1 · Vulgar Latin · ancient tremulare "to quiver", from 'tremere', to shake, the root of 'tremor'.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval trembler "to shake", the root of 'tremor' and 'tremulous'.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s tremble "to shake", 'all of a tremble' dates from the 1700s.