Definition of waver

The word "waver" can be traced back to the Old English word "weferian" meaning "to totter" or "to be unsteady". The Middle English form "wafuren" derived from this Old English root. The meaning of "waver" in its modern sense of "to fluctuate or be uncertain" can be traced back to the early 14th century, around the time that the spelling of "wafer" also began to emerge. The common origin of "wafer" and "waver" comes from the Old French word "gaufre" meaning "wave-shaped" or "rippled", which was used to describe a type of flat bread or pastry that was sometimes shaped like a wave. Over time, "gaufre" influenced both "wafer" and "waver", as the meaning of the Old French word evolved to encompass ideas of flexibility, instability, and uncertainty. Thus, the word "waver" found its way into English, carrying with it the sense of movement and change associated with its French and Old English roots, and ultimately coming to describe anything that is subject to fluctuation or doubt.