verb B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

hover

HO-vuh

Hover (verb) means to remain suspended in one place in the air. Example: “The drone hovered above the crowd, filming the parade.”

verb

To remain suspended in one place in the air.

"The drone hovered above the crowd, filming the parade."

"A hawk hovered over the field, watching for prey."

To linger near a place or person, especially anxiously or protectively.

"Her mother hovered nearby the entire time she was on the phone with the school."

To be uncertain or wavering between options.

"His mood hovered between excitement and dread."

To position a cursor over something on a screen without clicking.

"Hover over the icon to see what it does."

How to use hover

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo stay floating or lingering in one spot, whether literally in the air, anxiously near someone, or figuratively between two choices.

Common pairings

hover over hover nearby hover between

Word forms

hovered past tense, hover plural, hovered plural, hovers plural, hovers singular, hover singular, hovered singular, hoverest singular, hoveredst singular, hovereth singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The drone _____ above the crowd, filming the parade.

Etymology

From Middle English hoveren, probably from hoven ("to hover, soar") plus a frequentative ending, ultimately tied to the verb "heave."

Origin: Middle English

Rhymes for hover

over cover lover Dover mover rover clover Hoover Grover glover Hanover recover

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Frequently asked questions

What does “hover” mean?

The word “hover” means to remain suspended in one place in the air. In plain terms, to stay floating or lingering in one spot, whether literally in the air, anxiously near someone, or figuratively between two choices.

How do you pronounce “hover”?

“Hover” is pronounced HO-vuh (/ˈhʌvɚ/ in IPA).

How do you use “hover” in a sentence?

Here is “hover” used in a sentence: “The drone hovered above the crowd, filming the parade.”

What part of speech is “hover”?

“Hover” is a verb.

Where does the word “hover” come from?

The word “hover” comes from Middle English. From Middle English hoveren, probably from hoven ("to hover, soar") plus a frequentative ending, ultimately tied to the verb "heave.".

Is “hover” a common word?

“Hover” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “hover” have?

“Hover” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to remain suspended in one place in the air.