hesitance

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Latin haereō Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Italic *-tos Latin -tus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin -tō ▲ Latin -tō Latin -itō Latin -titō Latin haesitō Latin haesitāns Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin haesitantiabor. English hesitance Borrowed from Latin haesitantia.

1. The act or state of hesitating.

   “His hesitance was caused by bad past experiences.”

   “[…] Then California, resting the rifle / On the top rail, without doubting, without hesitance, / Aimed for the leaping body of the dog, and when it stood, fired.”