flutter

Meaning

Verb

1. To flap or wave quickly but irregularly.
2. Of a winged animal: to flap the wings without flying; to fly with a light flapping of the wings.
3. To undergo divergent oscillations (potentially to the point of causing structural failure) due to a positive feedback loop between elastic deformation and aerodynamic forces.
4. To cause something to flap.
5. To drive into disorder; to throw into confusion.
6. To be in a state of agitation or uncertainty.
7. (obsolete) To be frivolous.
8. (slang) To subject to a lie detector test.

Noun

1. The act of fluttering; quick and irregular motion.
2. A state of agitation.
3. An abnormal rapid pulsation of the heart.
4. An extremely dangerous divergent oscillation caused by a positive feedback loop between the elastic deformation of an object and the aerodynamic forces acting on it, potentially resulting in rapid structural failure.
5. A small bet or risky investment.
6. A hasty game of cards or similar.
7. The rapid variation of signal parameters, such as amplitude, phase, and frequency.

Synonyms

wave

👋

flap

flicker

fly

✈️

flit

sway

waver

quiver

shake

fan

flitter

tremble

stir

flap wings

oscillate

palpitate

hover

fluttering

agitation

heave

commotion

swing

rock

🪨

ruffle

play

vibrate

disturbance

jitter

blow

shiver

bat

🦇

shaking

waff

hoo-hah

shock

⚡

hoo-ha

disruption

hurly burly

bounce

swarm

excitement

kerfuffle

to-do

fidget

trepidation

flapping

twinkle

flash

fleet

vibration

waft

wag

beat

flirt

😘

quake

restlessness

dart

🎯

flurry

billow

wriggle

ripple

fly about

blow about

blink

rustle

glimmer

sport

tremor

trouble

turbulence

turmoil

turn over

twirl

unease

uneasiness

uproar

wavelet

welter

whipping

wiggle

wince

wing

🪽

wink

😉

winnow

win over

wobble

wow

writhe

be agitated

bow to

nictate

sway to and fro

yield to

be eager

drift about

win one’s heart

be swayed by

tremulation

rise one end

flutter rate

frequency wow

fast heart

abash

pulsation interference

agitate

agitated

beckon

bend

bet

bustle

change

circle

⭕

coil

concuss

concussion

confound

confusion

consternation

curl

discompose

disconcert

disquiet

disquietude

disturb

fibrillation

flame

flick

float

fluster

flutteringly

frisson

gutter

hold up

jar

🫙

jarring

jolt

jolting

jump up

linger

luff

move

obey

outbreak

perturbation

pother

pucker

pulsate

pulsation

revel

reverse

riffle

riot

roil

row

ruction

rumpus

scintillate

scrimmage

shimmy

soar

spin

squirm

stick up

stream

struggle

subdue

swirl

tachycardia

throb

tip

Hyphenated as

flut‧ter

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈflʌtə/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: floteren

Inherited from Old English: floterian

Cognate with Western Frisian: flodderje

Cognate with Dutch: flodderen

Cognate with Low German: fluttern

Cognate with German: flittern

In summary

From Middle English floteren, from Old English floterian, flotorian (“to float about, flutter”), from Proto-Germanic *flutrōną, frequentative of Proto-Germanic *flutōną (“to float”), equivalent to float + -er (frequentative suffix). Cognate with West Frisian flodderje (“to flutter, beat”), Dutch flodderen (“to flutter, wave”), Low German fluttern, fluddern (“to flutter”), German flittern (“to sparkle, glitter”). More at float.