tremulous
Meaning
shaking or quivering slightly
timid or nervous
Structure
Usage
her voice was tremulous as she delivered the emotional speech.
the tremulous leaves of the aspen tree fluttered in the gentle breeze.
he gave a tremulous smile, betraying his anxiety about the interview.
Etymology
the word tremulous originates from the latin verb tremere, which means 'to shake, tremble'. this latin root is itself traceable to the proto-indo-european base trem-, conveying the core concept of trembling. the suffix -ulous, derived from latin -ulosus, is added to nouns or verb stems to form adjectives indicating a tendency or abundance of a quality. therefore, the literal construction 'prone to shaking' evolved naturally into the modern english meanings describing both a physical quiver and a metaphorical state of nervousness or timidity.
Analysis
trem is from latin tremere, meaning 'to shake'. ulous is an adjective-forming suffix from latin -ulosus, meaning 'full of, prone to'.