Perhaps from Middle English qualm, cwalm (“death, sickness, plague”), itself 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”), which also gave quell. Although this sense development is plausible, it runs into the problem that no intermediate senses are attested before "pang of apprehension, etc." appears in the 16th century. An alternative traces it to Dutch kwalm or German Qualm (“steam, vapor, mist”), earlier “daze, stupefaction”, from the root of German quellen (“to stream, well up”). The sense “feeling of faintness” dates from 1530; “uneasiness, doubt” from 1553; and “scruple of conscience” from 1649.

Synonyms

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misgiving scruple squeamishness queasiness

Related words

suspicion reservation hesitate reliance nausea distrust mistrust apprehension

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of qualm?

"qualm" (noun) means a feeling of worry, doubt or fear.

What is another word for qualm?

Other words for "qualm" include misgiving, scruple, squeamishness, queasiness.

What are the different meanings of qualm?

"qualm" has 3 main meanings: 1. A feeling of worry, doubt or fear; 2. A sudden feeling of sickness or queasiness; 3. A twinge of guilt or unease about something you have done.

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suspicion reservation hesitate reliance nausea distrust mistrust apprehension