Added 3 October 2026
doubt
/daʊt/ verb
In Latin: dubito Wiktionary
verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about doubt at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
noun
-
Disbelief or uncertainty (about something); a particular instance of such disbelief or uncertainty.
There was some doubt as to who the child's real father was.
-
A point of uncertainty, especially a yes/no or a multiple-choice question
Ma'am, I have a doubt about today's lecture
- a question (that one has)
Origin
The verb is derived from Middle English douten (“to doubt, fear, worry”) [and other forms], from Old French douter, doter, duter (compare Middle French doubter), from Latin dubitāre (“to be uncertain, doubt; to hesitate, waver in coming to an opinion; to consider, ponder”); the further etymology is uncertain, but one theory is that dubitō may be derived from dubius (“fluctuating, wavering; doubtful, dubious, uncertain”), from duhibius (“held as two”), from duo (“two”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ (“two”)) + habeō (“to have, hold”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- (“to grab, take”)).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)