tremor

American  

[trem-er, tree-mer] / ˈtrɛm ər, ˈtri mər /

noun

1. involuntary shaking of the body or limbs, as from disease, fear, weakness, or excitement; a fit of trembling.

   Synonyms:

   quiver, shiver, shudder

2. any tremulous or vibratory movement; vibration.

   tremors following an earthquake.

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

   Synonyms:

   oscillation

4. a quavering sound, as of the voice.

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tremor British  

/ ˈtrɛmə /

noun

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

2. any trembling or quivering movement

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

4. Also called: earth tremor.  a minor earthquake

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verb

1. (intr) to tremble

tremor Scientific  

/ trĕm′ər /

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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• tremorless
  adjective
• tremorous
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of tremor

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

Explanation

A tremor is a trembling or shaking in a person or the Earth. If you're scared about speaking in public you might have a tremor in your voice — or wish that an earthquake tremor would open up the floor and swallow you first. If you're nervous or feeling queasy as you read a paper aloud, you might get a tremor in your hands and the paper itself will start to shake. When an earthquake rumbles, a powerful tremor might make a building shake so that it looks as fragile as a piece of paper. Not every tremor comes from fear or seismic activity, though: you can tremor or quiver with excitement as you anticipate something enjoyable.

Example Sentences

But it is a two-year tremor atop a 45-year trend that runs the other way, and the error nearly every commentator makes is to mistake the tremor for the trend.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

She obviously has, and has had, an essential tremor.

From Slate • May 9, 2026

"We heard a bit of a thud and felt a tremor, and we saw a number of people moving quickly out of the shopping centre," he told the BBC.

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026

He had developed a tremor in his hands and had trouble holding a camera still.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

I sit on my hands to steady my tremor, and count and breathe, count and breathe, searching the depths of me for another ounce of courage.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

• earthquake
• shiver
• upheaval
• vibration