English word of the day

Definition

To trip or lose your balance while walking; also, to make a mistake or find something by chance.

Example

She stumbled on the wet steps but caught herself.

She nearly fell on the wet steps but managed to stay upright.

Etymology

From Middle English *stomblen*, likely borrowed from a North Germanic source akin to Old Norse *stumra* (to stumble) and Danish *stomle*. The core element is a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to push" or "bump against," related to *stamm-* (stem, trunk), evoking the idea of catching one's foot on something solid.

Cultural note

English uses *stumble* in a rich set of idioms beyond the physical sense. "To stumble upon" or "stumble across" something means to discover it accidentally — a very common phrase in everyday and journalistic writing. "Stumbling block" (an obstacle or difficulty) appears frequently in business and political discourse. Be careful not to confuse *stumble* with *tumble* (to fall completely) or *mumble* (to speak unclearly) — they rhyme but mean very different things.