Merriam-Webster on Babylon-Pro: Get instant results from Merriam-Webster in any desktop application in a single click!
Upward Mobility--Make your move!: Classic Merriam-Webster content is now available on classic mobile platforms.

The Word of the Day for August 21, 2008 is:

trepidation • \trep-uh-DAY-shun\

• noun

: timorous uncertain agitation : apprehension

Example Sentence:

As she boarded the plane for her first flight, Corrine felt a mixture of trepidation and excitement.

Did you know?

If you've ever trembled with fright, you know something of both the sensation and etymology of "trepidation." The word "trepidation" comes from the Latin verb "trepidare," which means "to tremble." When "trepidation" first appeared in English in the early 1600s, it meant "tremulous motion" or "tremor." Around the same time, English speakers also started using the "nervous agitation" sense of "trepidation" that we use today.