quaver
/ˈkweɪvə(ɹ)/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.74 in modern English
18
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
an eighth note, drawn as a crotchet (quarter note) with a tail.
Example Sentences
- "The crotchets and quavers are dancing up and down the stave like little black boys on a fence."
- ""Aw come on, guys!" The woman, clearly overwhelmed by the force of the two friends' personalities, quavered on the point of tears."
- "We shall hear her quavering them […] to some sprightly airs of the opera."
Etymology
From Middle English quaveren, frequentative form of quaven, cwavien (“to tremble”), equivalent to quave + -er. Cognate with Low German quabbeln (“to quiver”), German quabbeln, quappeln (“to quiver”). More at quave, quab, quiver.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Usage
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Music.