Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

fluctuate

/ˈflʌkt͡ʃu.eɪt/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.99 in modern English

Syllables: fluc-tu-ate
IPA: /ˈflʌkt͡ʃu.eɪt/

14

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

3

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To vary irregularly; to swing.

Intransitive verb

verb

Intransitive verb

verb

To be irresolute; to waver.

Intransitive verb

verb

To cause to vary irregularly.

Transitive verb

verb

To rise and fall as a wave; to be tossed up and down the waves.

adj

Tossed up and down the waves.

Obsolete

adj

Wavering, fickle.

Obsolete

Example Sentences

"One of them, at great Expence of Algebra, proves, that the Motes, which in Scotomias, we seem to have in our Eyes, are not real Bodies fluctuating in them."
"I fluctuated between wishing he was back home and wishing I'd never met him."

Etymology

First attested in 1630; borrowed from Latin flūctuātus, perfect passive participle of flūctuō (“(of the sea) to surge, swell; (of man) to waver, fluctuate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix).

Origin

First known use: First attested in 1630

Usage

Inflected Forms

fluctuates (present, singular) fluctuating (participle, present) fluctuated (participle, past) fluctuated (past) more fluctuate (comparative) most fluctuate (superlative)

Derived Forms

cofluctuate

Frequently Paired Words

fluctuant fluctuation

Synonyms

vacillate waver

Questions

How do you pronounce fluctuate?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈflʌkt͡ʃu.eɪt/.
What does fluctuate mean?: To vary irregularly; to swing.
Where does fluctuate come from?: First known use: First attested in 1630.

How to pronounce fluctuate

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Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈflʌkt͡ʃu.eɪt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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