name · noun · verb · 18 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈhɒvə/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈhʌvə/
Canada, General-American:/ˈhʌvɚ/
Canada, General-American:/ˈhɑvɚ/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
New-Jersey:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian:/ˈhɔvə/
Australian:/ˈhavə/
rhymes with -ɒvə(ɹ)
rhymes with -ʌvə(ɹ)
CMU ARPABET:HH AH1 V ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
name
Meaning 1
A surname.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
An act, or the state, of remaining stationary in the air or some other place.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A flock of birds fluttering in the air in one place.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
An act, or the state, of being suspended; a suspension.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A cover; a protection; a shelter; specifically, an overhanging bank or stone under which fish can shelter; also, a shelter for hens brooding their eggs.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Southern-England
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To keep (something, such as an aircraft) in a stationary state in the air.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
Of a bird: to shelter (chicks) under its body and wings; (by extension) of a thing: to cover or surround (something).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
verb
Meaning 8
Of a bird or insect: to flap (its wings) so it can remain stationary in the air.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
verb
Meaning 9
To remain stationary or float in the air.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
The hummingbird hovered by the plant.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
verb
Meaning 10
Sometimes followed by over: to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, intransitive
Examples
His pen hovered above the paper.
The strange man hovered outside the gents’ toilet.
The visitors were hovering at the door, seemingly unwilling to enter.
Some helicopter parents weren’t so much dropping off their kids as hovering over them until the event started.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: wasp around
Antonyms: none provided
11
verb
Meaning 11
To be indecisive or uncertain; to vacillate, to waver.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, intransitive
Examples
Filling in the voting form, I hovered between Labour and Liberal Democrat.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
verb
Meaning 12
Chiefly followed by over: to use a mouse or other device to place a cursor over something on a screen such as a hyperlink or icon without clicking, so as to produce a result (such as the appearance of a tooltip).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
To travel in a hovercraft as it moves above a water surface.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Topics: nautical, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
verb
Meaning 14
hang in the air; fly or be suspended above
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: fly, wing
Narrower terms: poise
15
verb
Meaning 15
be suspended in the air, as if in defiance of gravity
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The guru claimed that he could levitate
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: levitate
Antonyms: none provided
16
verb
Meaning 16
move to and fro
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The shy student lingered in the corner
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: linger
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: hesitate, waver, waffle
17
verb
Meaning 17
be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
He oscillates between accepting the new position and retirement
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: vibrate, vacillate, oscillate
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: hesitate, waver, waffle
Narrower terms: shillyshally
18
verb
Meaning 18
hang over, as of something threatening, dark, or menacing
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The terrible vision brooded over her all day long
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: brood, loom, bulk large
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: hang
Narrower terms: overshadow, dominate, eclipse
History
Etymology
The verb is derived from Middle English hoveren (“to float in the air, hover; to stay”), probably from hoven (“hover; of a bird: to fly high in the air, soar”) (which it displaced) + -er- (frequentative suffix). Hoven is probably derived from Old English *hōfian, from hōfon, the plural past indicative form of hebban (“to lift, raise”), from Proto-West Germanic *habbjan, from Proto-Germanic *habjaną (“to lift; to heave”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *keh2p- (“to hold, seize”). The English word is analysable as hove (“(obsolete) to remain suspended, float, hover; to linger, wait”) + -er (frequentative suffix). The noun is derived from the verb.
Across languages
Translations
181 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Finnish:
leijuminen
— act, or the state, of remaining stationary in the air or some other place
Finnish:
leijunta
— act, or the state, of remaining stationary in the air or some other place
German:
Schwebezustand
— act, or the state, of remaining stationary in the air or some other place
Finnish:
paikallaan pysyvä lintuparvi
— flock of birds fluttering in the air in one place
Finnish:
leijuva lintuparvi
— flock of birds fluttering in the air in one place
German:
Auffliegen (Geflügel)
— flock of birds fluttering in the air in one place
Finnish:
kieleke
— overhanging bank or stone under which fish can shelter
German:
Versteck (hinter Steinen)
— overhanging bank or stone under which fish can shelter
Afrikaans:
sweef
— to keep (something, such as an aircraft) in a stationary state in the air
Dutch:
omzweven
— to keep (something, such as an aircraft) in a stationary state in the air
Finnish:
leijuttaa
— to keep (something, such as an aircraft) in a stationary state in the air
German:
schwebend halten
— to keep (something, such as an aircraft) in a stationary state in the air
Greenlandic:
niviorpaa
— to keep (something, such as an aircraft) in a stationary state in the air
Italian:
librarsi
— to keep (something, such as an aircraft) in a stationary state in the air
Finnish:
suojella siivillään
— of a bird: to shelter (chicks) under its body and wings
Finnish:
kätkeä siipiensä alle
— of a bird: to shelter (chicks) under its body and wings
German:
behüten
— of a bird: to shelter (chicks) under its body and wings
Afrikaans:
sweef
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Arabic:
حَامَ
(ḥāma)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Baatonum:
bɛɛri
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Belarusian:
луна́ць
(lunácʹ)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Belarusian:
віта́ць
(vitácʹ)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Central Bikol:
lupád
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Bulgarian:
нося се
(nosja se)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Bulgarian:
рея се
(reja se)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Catalan:
zumzejar
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Cebuano:
langaw
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Chinese Cantonese:
摟 /搂
(lau1)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Chinese Mandarin:
翱翔
(áoxiáng)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Chinese Mandarin:
高飛 /高飞
(gāofēi)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Chinese Mandarin:
懸停 /悬停
(xuántíng)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Chinese Mandarin:
㝼
(yū)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Czech:
vznášet
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Dutch:
omzweven
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Dutch:
zweven
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Esperanto:
flugpendi
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Esperanto:
ŝvebi
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Estonian:
hõljuma
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Finnish:
leijailla
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Finnish:
leijua
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Finnish:
lekuttaa
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Finnish:
lekutella
— to remain stationary or float in the air
French:
éventiller
— to remain stationary or float in the air
French:
planer
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Galician:
barutar
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Galician:
pairar
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Galician:
peneirar
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Galician:
peneirarse
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Galician:
atariñar
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Galician:
tordear
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Ge'ez:
ጸለለ
(ṣälälä)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
German:
rütteln
— to remain stationary or float in the air
German:
schweben
— to remain stationary or float in the air
German:
stillstehen (in der Luft)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Central Franconian:
schwevve
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Greek:
αιωρούμαι
(aioroúmai)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Greek:
αλαφροζυγιάζομαι
(alafrozygiázomai)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Greenlandic:
agiorpoq
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Greenlandic:
qangatavoq
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Hebrew:
רִחֵף
(rikhéf)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Icelandic:
sveima
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Icelandic:
svífa
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Ido:
flugetar
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Indonesian:
layang
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Irish:
ainligh
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Italian:
volteggiare
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Latin:
oberrō
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Latin:
pendeō
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Latin:
volitō
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Latvian:
peldēt
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Latvian:
stāvēt
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Limburgish:
schwéëve
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Luxembourgish:
schwiewen
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Macedonian:
ле́бди
(lébdi)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Malagasy:
mihevaheva
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Maltese:
sseqqer
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Māori:
tīonioni
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Māori:
topaki
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Norwegian Bokmål:
sveve
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Norwegian Nynorsk:
sveve
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Occitan:
flotejar
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Occitan:
planar
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Polish:
zawisać
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Polish:
zawisnąć
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Portuguese:
pairar
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Romanian:
pluti
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Russian:
нависа́ть
(navisátʹ)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Russian:
пари́ть
(parítʹ)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Russian:
порха́ть
(porxátʹ)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Russian:
ре́ять
(réjatʹ)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Russian:
вита́ть
(vitátʹ)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Russian:
ви́ться
(vítʹsja)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Russian:
зависа́ть
(zavisátʹ)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Russian:
зави́снуть
(zavísnutʹ)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Scots:
hover
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Serbo-Croatian:
лѐбдети
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Serbo-Croatian:
лѐбдјети
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Serbo-Croatian:
lèbdeti
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Serbo-Croatian:
lèbdjeti
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Spanish:
cernerse
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Spanish:
levitar
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Spanish:
revolotear
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Spanish:
revoletear
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Swedish:
sväva
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Thai:
ร่อน
(rɔ̂n)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Turkish:
havada durmak
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Turkish:
uçmak
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Ukrainian:
ширя́ти
(šyrjáty)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Vietnamese:
lượn
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Welsh:
hofran
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Yiddish:
שוועבן
(shvebn)
— to remain stationary or float in the air
ǃXóõ:
ǀxâã
— to remain stationary or float in the air
Chinese Mandarin:
彽徊
(dīhuái)
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Chinese Mandarin:
盤旋 /盘旋
(pánxuán)
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Chinese Mandarin:
縈繞 /萦绕
(yíngrào)
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Finnish:
norkoilla
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
French:
faire du sur-place
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
German:
verweilen
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
German:
rumhängen
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Italian:
aggirarsi
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Italian:
attardarsi
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Italian:
gironzolare
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Italian:
indugiare
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Italian:
ronzàre
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Italian:
ronzare intorno
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Japanese:
揉み合う
(momiau)
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Korean:
맴돌다
(maemdolda)
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Latin:
circumvolitō
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Latin:
impendeō
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Latin:
pendeō
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Macedonian:
се вр́ти
(se vŕti)
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Macedonian:
се вр́тка
(se vŕtka)
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Portuguese:
voltear
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Russian:
болта́ться
(boltátʹsja)
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Russian:
ме́шкать
(méškatʹ)
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Russian:
слоня́ться
(slonjátʹsja)
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Russian:
верте́ться
(vertétʹsja)
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Spanish:
rondar
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Vietnamese:
luẩn quẩn
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Vietnamese:
chờn vờn
— to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner
Bulgarian:
колебая се
(kolebaja se)
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Czech:
balancovat
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Finnish:
epäröidä
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Finnish:
häilyä
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Finnish:
olla kahden vaiheilla
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
French:
hésiter
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Galician:
atariñar
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Galician:
bambanear
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Galician:
bambear
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Galician:
dubidar
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Galician:
musear
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Galician:
nutar
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Galician:
tordear
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
German:
zögern
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
German:
unsicher sein
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Greek:
αιωρούμαι
(aioroúmai)
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Italian:
esitare
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Italian:
essere in bilico
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Italian:
essere indeciso
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Italian:
essere sospeso
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Italian:
pencolare
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Macedonian:
се ко́леба
(se kóleba)
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Portuguese:
hesitar
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Portuguese:
vacilar
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Romanian:
oscila
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Russian:
колеба́ться
(kolebátʹsja)
— to be indecisive or uncertain — see also vacillate, waver, doubt, hesitate
Chinese Mandarin:
懸停 /悬停
(xuántíng)
— to use a mouse or other device to place a cursor over (something on a screen) without clicking, so as to produce a result
Czech:
najet kurzorem na hyperodkaz
— to use a mouse or other device to place a cursor over (something on a screen) without clicking, so as to produce a result
Finnish:
kohdistaa
— to use a mouse or other device to place a cursor over (something on a screen) without clicking, so as to produce a result
Finnish:
osoittaa
— to use a mouse or other device to place a cursor over (something on a screen) without clicking, so as to produce a result
German:
bewegen
— to use a mouse or other device to place a cursor over (something on a screen) without clicking, so as to produce a result
German:
fahren (with über)
— to use a mouse or other device to place a cursor over (something on a screen) without clicking, so as to produce a result
German:
positionieren
— to use a mouse or other device to place a cursor over (something on a screen) without clicking, so as to produce a result
Italian:
passare il cursore sopra
— to use a mouse or other device to place a cursor over (something on a screen) without clicking, so as to produce a result
Norwegian:
oversveve
— to use a mouse or other device to place a cursor over (something on a screen) without clicking, so as to produce a result
Romanian:
plasa cursorul peste link
— to use a mouse or other device to place a cursor over (something on a screen) without clicking, so as to produce a result
Spanish:
colocar el puntero sobre
— to use a mouse or other device to place a cursor over (something on a screen) without clicking, so as to produce a result
Vietnamese:
rê chuột
— to use a mouse or other device to place a cursor over (something on a screen) without clicking, so as to produce a result
Vietnamese:
rê con trỏ
— to use a mouse or other device to place a cursor over (something on a screen) without clicking, so as to produce a result
Finnish:
kulkea ilmatyynyaluksella
— to travel in a hovercraft as it moves above a water surface
German:
schweben (entlang, über)
— to travel in a hovercraft as it moves above a water surface