quaver
UK[ˈkweɪvə(r)]US[ˈkweɪvər]
v
(of a voice or musical sound) to shake or tremble
n
a shake or tremble in a voice or musical sound
n
(music) a note having the time value of an eighth of a semibreve, shown by a large dot with a hooked stem
Morpheme Breakdown
quav
er
quav
shake
er
agent/instrument suffix
Etymology
The word 'quaver' originates from the Middle English verb 'cwavien' or 'quaven', meaning 'to tremble or shake'. This Middle English term is related to the Low German 'quabbeln' (to quiver) and the Old English 'cwafian', all sharing the core semantic notion of unsteady motion. The modern spelling solidified with the agentive suffix '-er', forming a noun for a trembling sound or, in musical notation, a note that visually resembles a small, hooked symbol and is performed with a short, rapid duration, metaphorically evoking a 'shake'. Thus, the word's journey connects a physical sense of trembling to its specific auditory and musical applications.
Analysis
Structure: quav (shake) + er (agent/instrument suffix)
The element 'quav' is related to the Middle English 'cwavien' or 'quaven', meaning to tremble or shake, of Germanic origin. The suffix '-er' is an agentive suffix from Old English '-ere', used here to form a noun denoting something that performs the action (e.g., a shaking note or sound).
Examples
Her voice began to quaver with emotion as she delivered the speech.
There was a distinct quaver in the old recording of the singer's final note.
In this bar, you need to play two quavers followed by a crotchet.