tremors
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All five words describe some form of movement back and forth, but they differ in cause and intensity. 'Tremor' is the most clinical term — it suggests an involuntary, often repetitive shaking that may have a medical origin (e.g. Parkinson's disease, side effects of medication). 'Shake' is the most general and can describe anything from a leaf blown by the wind to a person trembling with fear; it is the least specific. 'Quiver' refers to a very small, fast vibration, usually linked to emotion ('Her lip quivered as she fought back tears.') rather than illness or physical weakness. 'Shudder' implies a stronger, more dramatic whole-body spasm — you shudder when you hear terrifying news or feel a sudden chill. 'Shiver' is specifically associated with cold or fever, not with fear or excitement. In daily conversation, 'I have the shakes' (informal) is used for drug withdrawal or nervousness, while 'tremors' remains the preferred term in medical reports and patient descriptions.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'tremor' comes directly from Latin 'tremor', meaning 'a shaking' or 'a trembling', derived from the verb 'tremere' meaning 'to shake' or 'to tremble'. The same Latin root gave English 'tremble' (via Old French 'trembler'), 'tremulous' (shaking nervously), and 'tremendous' (originally 'causing trembling', i.e., awe-inspiring). The word entered English in the late 14th century, first used to describe the trembling of a person, and later extended to earthquakes in the 17th century.
First known use
14th century
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a