nervous
nervous Lexical Profile
nervous Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Feeling or showing anxiety, apprehension, or unease about an uncertain event or situation.
"She felt nervous before stepping onto the stage to deliver her keynote address."
Relating to, affecting, or originating in the nerves or the neurological system.
"Caffeine acts as a stimulant on the central nervous system, temporarily warding off drowsiness."
Easily agitated, startled, or distressed by nature; high-strung.
"The rescue horse had a nervous temperament and was easily spooked by sudden noises."
• Rhymes for nervous
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 14th century from Latin nervosus ('sinewy, vigorous'), derived from nervus ('sinew, tendon, nerve'). It originally meant 'strong' or 'sinewy' in English before shifting in the 18th century to refer to the anatomical nerves and eventually to emotional agitation.