What is the Latin word for hover?

The usual Latin words for “hover” are pendō, circumvolō, immineō; also impendō, alius. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“hover” in Latin

pendōto weigh, weigh out; to pay; to consider, ponder circumvolōto fly around; to run around immineōto project, bend or lean toward or over, overhang; to touch on, border upon; to threaten, menace impendōto spend or expend; to devote (money, time etc.) to aliusother; another; any other; else; different

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

hover

pendere, with or without alis (to hang, i. e., in the air; but poetic in this sense; also with in aera in auras): *aere librari (to be balanced in the air): sometimes circumvolare (to fly round; also, IMPROP., mors atris circumvolat alis, Hor.).

IMPROPR. (e.g., of an army hovering over a country, etc.), imminere or impendere (alicui rei).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for hover?: The usual Latin words for “hover” are pendō, circumvolō, immineō; also impendō, alius. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.