noun

qualm

Qualm (noun) means a feeling of apprehension, doubt, fear etc.

noun

A feeling of apprehension, doubt, fear etc.

A sudden sickly feeling; queasiness.

A prick of the conscience; a moral scruple, a pang of guilt.

Mortality; plague; pestilence.

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Etymology

Perhaps from Middle English qualm, cwalm (“death, sickness, plague”), which is from Old English cwealm (West Saxon: "death, disaster, plague"), ūtcualm (Anglian: "utter destruction"), from Proto-West Germanic *kwalm (“killing, death, destruction”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH- (“to stick, pierce; pain, injury, death”), whence also quell. Although the sense development is possible, this has the problem that there are no attestations in intermediate senses before the appearance of "pang of apprehension, etc." in the 16th century. The alternative etymology is from Dutch kwalm or German Qualm (“steam, vapor, mist”) earlier “daze, stupefaction”, which is from the root of German quellen (“to stream, well up”). The sense “feeling of faintness” is from 1530; “uneasiness, doubt” from 1553; “scruple of conscience” from 1649.

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of qualm?

"qualm" (noun) means a feeling of apprehension, doubt, fear etc.

What are the different meanings of qualm?

"qualm" has 3 main meanings: 1. A feeling of apprehension, doubt, fear etc; 2. A sudden sickly feeling; queasiness; 3. A prick of the conscience; a moral scruple, a pang of guilt.