Definition of DOUBT

doubt

Meanings

Plural: doubts

Noun

  • the state of being unsure of something
  • uncertainty about the truth or factuality or existence of something
  • Disbelief or uncertainty (about something); (countable) a particular instance of such disbelief or uncertainty.
  • A point of uncertainty, especially a yes/no or a multiple-choice question

Verb

  • consider unlikely or have doubts about
    • "I doubt that she will accept his proposal of marriage"
  • lack confidence in or have doubts about
    • "I doubt these reports"
  • To be undecided about; to lack confidence in; to disbelieve, to question.
  • To harbour suspicion about; suspect.
  • To anticipate with dread or fear; to apprehend.
  • To fill with fear; to affright.
  • To dread, to fear.

Origin / Etymology

Etymology tree
Latin dubō
Latin -itō
Latin dubitō
Old French doterbor.
Middle English douten
Old French doter
Old French doutebor.
Middle English doute
Latin dubiusbor.
English dubiousinflu.
Latin dubitōinflu.
English doubt
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”)). Spelling reformers of the early modern period added the letter b to reflect the Latin root dubitō, but it has never been pronounced in English.
The noun is derived from Middle English dout, doute (“uncertainty, hesitation; questionable point; anxiety, fear, reverence”) [and other forms],
from Old French doute, dote, dute (“uncertain feeling, doubt”), from doter, douter, duter (“to doubt, fear”) (compare Middle French doubter; modern French douter (“to doubt, suspect”)); see further etymology above.
Displaced Old English twēo (“doubt”) and twēoġan (“to doubt”).

Scrabble Score: 8

doubt is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
doubt is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
doubt is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 10

doubt is a valid Words With Friends word