tremor

[ trem-er, tree-mer ]
See synonyms for tremor on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. involuntary shaking of the body or limbs, as from disease, fear, weakness, or excitement; a fit of trembling.

  2. any tremulous or vibratory movement; vibration: tremors following an earthquake.

  1. a trembling or quivering effect, as of light.

  2. a quavering sound, as of the voice.

Origin of tremor

1
1325–75; Middle English <Latin: a trembling, equivalent to trem(ere) to tremble + -or-or1

Other words for tremor

Other words from tremor

  • trem·or·ous, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use tremor in a sentence

  • All round her the dark water boiled and roared, and the blast shrieked through the cordage with hollow tremors.

    The Chequers | James Runciman
  • Tremors of rage were running through her, and she steadied herself against the edge of the desk lest he should see her weakness.

    Summer | Edith Wharton
  • Over her face there passed strange lights, strange tremors, a strange softening of the small indomitable mouth.

    The Creators | May Sinclair
  • "To the Serial-Letter Co.," he wrote sternly, with many ferocious tremors of dignity and rheumatism.

    Molly Make-Believe | Eleanor Hallowell Abbott
  • Caroline's tall and gaunt and forbidding person was yet shy and full of old-fashioned tremors.

    Happy House | Betsey Riddle, Freifrau von Hutten zum Stolzenberg

British Dictionary definitions for tremor

tremor

/ (ˈtrɛmə) /


noun
  1. an involuntary shudder or vibration, as from illness, fear, shock, etc

  2. any trembling or quivering movement

  1. a vibrating or trembling effect, as of sound or light

  2. Also called: earth tremor a minor earthquake

verb
  1. (intr) to tremble

Origin of tremor

1
C14: from Latin: a shaking, from tremere to tremble, quake

Derived forms of tremor

  • tremorless, adjective
  • tremorous, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for tremor

tremor

[ trĕmər ]


  1. A relatively minor seismic shaking or vibrating movement. Tremors often precede larger earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.

  2. An involuntary shaking or trembling of the head or extremities that can be idiopathic or associated with any of various medical conditions, such as Parkinson's disease.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.