# hesitation

> English word · Noun · IPA /hɛzɪˈteɪʃən/ · frequency rank #13,929

## Definitions
1. An act of hesitating
2. Doubt; vacillation.
3. A faltering in speech; stammering.

## Etymology
From Latin haesitātiōnem, accusative singular of haesitātiō (“hesitating, stammering”), from haesitō (“hesitate”). Displaced native Old English ġewand.

## Easily confused with
- **habitation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/habitation-vs-hesitation)
- **hesitating** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hesitating-vs-hesitation)

## Common misspellings (15)
`ehsitation`, `heistation`, `hesiattion`, `hesitaiton`, `hesitasion`, `hesitatino`, `hesitationn`, `hesitatoin`, `hesitattion`, `hesittaion`, `hesittation`, `hessitation`, `hestiation`, `hhesitation`, `hseitation`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/hesitation