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"doubt" in seven languages

Meaningdoubt

Spanish

duda

/ˈduda/

fem.inherited

From the verb dudar.

French

doute

/dut/

masc.inherited

Sans doute means 'probably'; 'without a doubt' is sans aucun doute.

Italian

dubbio

/ˈdubbjo/

masc.other source · Latin DUBIUM 'doubtful'

Portuguese

dúvida

/ˈduvidɐ/

fem.inherited

Romanian

îndoială

/ɨndoˈjalə/

fem.other source · built on îndoi 'to fold in two, to doubt' (doi 'two', Latin DUŌ)

Catalan

dubte

/ˈdubtə/

masc.inherited

English

doubt

/daʊt/

from Latin/French · Old French doute

The silent b was added by scholars who respelled the word after Latin.

English → ItaliandoubtdubbioNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: dubious, indubitably.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

DUBITĀRE‘to waver, doubt (DUBIUS 'of two minds')’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

Spanish and French made the noun from the verb (dudar, douter, from DUBITĀRE); Italian uses the related adjective DUBIUS, 'of two minds'. Gender trap: la duda but le doute, il dubbio.

English relatives: dubious, indubitably

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In a sentence

  • esNo hay duda.
  • frIl n'y a aucun doute.
  • itNon c'è dubbio.
  • ptNão há dúvida.
  • roNu există nicio îndoială.
  • caNo hi ha dubte.
  • enThere is no doubt.

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