noun / verb
doubt
DOWT/daʊt/
Uncertainty about whether something is true or reliable.
The hiker doubts the safety of the bridge's loose plank.
Etymology
Latin dubitare describes wavering in opinion and is connected with 'two': being of two minds. That image underlies uncertainty about whether something is true or trustworthy.
In context
The little word translated as if is not really planting a seed of doubt about who the man is.
More examples
- I have no doubt that she will arrive.
- He doubted the accuracy of the report.
- Their doubts grew as the delays continued.
Forms
doubt · doubts · doubted · doubting
doubtful adjective — Uncertain or unlikely to be true
Similar words
- question
- Can involve seeking an answer without believing something unreliable.
- skepticism
- Often a disposition to question claims rather than a single uncertainty.