flutter

1 of 2

verb

flut·​ter ˈflə-tər 

fluttered; fluttering; flutters

intransitive verb

1

: to flap the wings rapidly

butterflies fluttering among the flowers

2

a

: to move with quick wavering or flapping motions

a sail fluttering in the wind

b

: to vibrate in irregular spasms

his heart fluttered

3

: to move about or behave in an agitated aimless manner

She nervously fluttered around the office.

transitive verb

: to cause to flutter

The bird was fluttering its wings.

flutterer

ˈflə-tər-ər 

noun

fluttery

ˈflə-tər-ē 

adjective

flutter

2 of 2

noun

1

: an act of fluttering

2

a

: a state of nervous confusion or excitement

b

: flurry, commotion

c

: abnormal spasmodic fluttering of a body part

treatment of atrial flutter

3

a

: a distortion in reproduced sound similar to but of a higher pitch than wow

b

: fluctuation in the brightness of a television image

4

: an unwanted oscillation (as of an aileron or a bridge) set up by natural forces

5

chiefly British : a small speculative venture or gamble

Synonyms

Verb

• dance
• dart
• flick
• flicker
• flirt
• flit
• flitter
• zip

Noun

• burst
• flare
• flare-up
• flash
• flicker
• flurry
• outbreak
• outburst
• spurt

Examples of flutter in a Sentence

Verb

The bird was fluttering its wings.

The bird's wings were fluttering.

We watched the butterflies fluttering in the garden.

Leaves fluttered to the ground.

The breeze made the curtains flutter.

The breeze fluttered the curtains.

She fluttered her eyelashes at him.

She nervously fluttered around the office.

Noun

With a flutter of wings, the birds settled into the nest.

The flutter of the flame cast shadows on the ceiling.

He was in a flutter until he found his keys.

The news of her resignation caused quite a flutter.

have a flutter on a horse in the second race

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

This is key, as stripers often stun their prey then swing around and gobble up the dead and dying bunker fluttering to the bottom. —Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 17 Oct. 2024

His hands fluttered above the keyboard in a way that looks very much like someone playing a theremin, the ethereal instrument that’s played by manipulating the invisible electromagnetic fields around a pair of antennas. —Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 8 Oct. 2024

Noun

At 60, the sinewy Harbaugh is as fit as any head coach in the game, and his heart issues — diagnosed as atrial flutter — are not indisputably attributable to the stress of the game. —Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024

May Have Genetic Causes Atrial flutter is not genetic. —Angela Ryan Lee, Health, 6 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English floteren to float, flutter, from Old English floterian, frequentative of flotian to float; akin to Old English flēotan to float — more at fleet

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1641, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing flutter

• flutter kick
• flutter sleeve

Kids Definition

flutter

1 of 2 verb

flut·​ter ˈflət-ər 

1

: to move or cause the wings to move rapidly without flying or in short flights

butterflies flutter

2

: to move with quick wavering or flapping motions

flags fluttered in the breeze

3

: to move about or behave in an excited aimless manner

fluttery

ˈflət-ə-rē 

adjective

flutter

2 of 2 noun

1

: an act of fluttering

2

: flurry sense 2, commotion

3

: an unsteadiness of pitch in reproduced sound

Medical Definition

flutter

noun

flut·​ter ˈflət-ər 

: an abnormal rapid spasmodic and usually rhythmic motion or contraction of a body part

diaphragmatic flutter

affected with ventricular flutter

flutter intransitive verb