# quaver

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkweɪvə(ɹ)/

## Definitions
1. A trembling shake.
2. A trembling of the voice, as in speaking or singing.
3. an eighth note, drawn as a crotchet (quarter note) with a tail.

## 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.

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