zaghaft
Translation
hesitant, timid, tentative, cautious
Examples
Er machte einen zaghaften Versuch.
He made a tentative attempt.
Sie antwortete mit zaghafter Stimme.
She answered in a timid voice.
Grammar Patterns
[subject] is hesitant predicative use The child is very timid.
a hesitant [noun] attributive use She took a hesitant step forward.
Similar Words
Synonyms: hesitant, timid; Antonyms: brave, decisive, bold
Etymology
From Middle High German 'zaghaft', from 'zage' (cowardly) + '-haft' (having the quality of). 'Zagen' means to hesitate.
Memory Tips
Picture someone zig-zagging ('zag') because they are hesitant, not moving forward decisively. The '-haft' suffix often means 'like' or 'having the quality of'.