entry
waver
/ˈweɪvər/Move unsteadily or hesitate between alternatives
From Proto-Germanic, ultimately Proto-Indo-European wave (Back-and-forth movement).
from Proto-Indo-European *webʰ- (“to braid, weave”). Doublet of wave. The noun is derived
from Proto-Germanic *wabjaną (“to cause to weave; to entangle; to wrap”); and/or
from Old Norse vafra (“to move unsteadily, flicker”), probably related to vefa (“to weave”); both
from Middle English waveren (“to move back and forth, swing; to move unsteadily, totter; to shake, tremble; to wander;...
Word Ancestry
from Proto-Indo-European *webʰ- (“to braid, weave”). Doublet of wave. The noun is derived
from Proto-Germanic *wabjaną (“to cause to weave; to entangle; to wrap”); and/or
from Old Norse vafra (“to move unsteadily, flicker”), probably related to vefa (“to weave”); both
from Middle English waveren (“to move back and forth, swing; to move unsteadily, totter; to shake, tremble; to wander;...
Picture a flag snapping, a candle flame trembling, or a sailor’s hand moving uncertainly in the air: all belong to the same old family of motion. The trail reaches back to Proto-Indo-European *webʰ-, “to braid or weave,” a root that also produced English weave and web—language preserving the idea of strands moving in and out. Old Norse vafra meant “to move unsteadily” or “flicker,” while Middle English waveren, recorded by the 14th century, extended that physical wobble to people who could not settle on a decision. English then added the frequentative suffix -er, giving repeated or restless motion: not one decisive swing, but a continual back-and-forth. So when someone wavers, their mind is metaphorically weaving—crossing and recrossing the same two possibilities like threads that refuse to lie still.
The Story
Picture a flag snapping, a candle flame trembling, or a sailor’s hand moving uncertainly in the air: all belong to the same old family of motion. The trail reaches back to Proto-Indo-European *webʰ-, “to braid or weave,” a root that also produced English weave and web—language preserving the idea of strands moving in and out. Old Norse vafra meant “to move unsteadily” or “flicker,” while Middle English waveren, recorded by the 14th century, extended that physical wobble to people who could not settle on a decision. English then added the frequentative suffix -er, giving repeated or restless motion: not one decisive swing, but a continual back-and-forth. So when someone wavers, their mind is metaphorically weaving—crossing and recrossing the same two possibilities like threads that refuse to lie still.
Modern Usage
A person associated with new wave culture or someone with stylish hair waves
Notable References
- Urban Dictionary entries for new wave followers and people with quality hair waves
Kin & Kindred
From 'wave'·Back-and-forth movement; weaving or swaying
Derived Terms
English words from this root
Sources
Etymonline
Free Dictionary
Urban Dictionary
Wiktionary