Word of the Day - 09/11/25
dither
/'dɪðər/(v.): make a fuss; be agitated
She tends to dither over the smallest details, making everyone late.
(n.): an excited state of agitation
The news of the impending storm put the whole town in a dither.
(v.): act nervously; be undecided; be uncertain
He would often dither for a long time before choosing what to order from the menu.
Word Origin
The word 'dither' originated in the late 18th century as the dialectal term 'didder', meaning 'to tremble' or 'to shiver'. Its roots are likely Low German or Dutch, specifically related to Middle Low German 'didderen' or Middle Dutch 'dideren', both carrying the meaning 'to tremble' or 'to quiver'. The modern sense of 'to be indecisive' or 'to hesitate' evolved later, around the 1920s, conceptualizing the physical trembling with the mental state of uncertainty.
The most direct linguistic relative and an older form of the word itself is 'didder'. It also shares a common etymological origin with Middle Low German 'didderen' and Middle Dutch 'dideren', all conveying the notion of trembling or quivering.