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pendulous

[ pen-juh-luhs, pen-duh- ]
/ ˈpɛn dʒə ləs, ˈpɛn də- /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pendulous ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

hanging down loosely: pendulous blossoms.
swinging freely; oscillating.
vacillating or undecided; wavering.

RELATED WORDS

dangling, dependent, drooping, pending, suspended, unsettled, pensile, swinging, pendant, pendent

Nearby words

  1. pendragon, uther,
  2. pendu,
  3. pendular,
  4. pendular nystagmus,
  5. pendule,
  6. pendulously,
  7. pendulum,
  8. pendulum effect,
  9. pendulum watch,
  10. pene-

Origin of pendulous

First recorded in 1595–1605, pendulous is from the Latin word pendulus hanging, swinging. See pend, -ulous
SYNONYMS FOR pendulous
1 dangling, drooping, pendent, sagging.
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pendulous ON THESAURUS.COM
Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for pendulous

British Dictionary definitions for pendulous

pendulous

/ (ˈpɛndjʊləs) /

adjective

hanging downwards, esp so as to swing from side to side
Derived Formspendulously, adverbpendulousness, noun

Word Origin for pendulous

C17: from Latin pendulus, from pendēre to hang down
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

Word Origin and History for pendulous

pendulous

adj.

c.1600, from Latin pendulus "hanging down," figuratively "doubtful, uncertain, hesitating," from pendere "to hang" (see pendant). Related: Pendulously.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper