What is the Latin word for startle?

The usual Latin words for “startle” are territō, terreō, offerō; also iniciō, incutiō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“startle” in Latin

territōto frighten, terrify, alarm; to intimidate terreōto frighten, terrify, alarm; to deter by terror, scare (away)offerōto bring before or bring to, present, offer, bestow, show, place before, exhibit, expose; to cause, occasion, inflict; t iniciōto throw, cast, hurl or place in, on, into, upon, over or at; to grasp, seize, take hold of, lay one's hands upon; to se incutiōto strike on, against, into; to inspire with, inflict, excite

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

startle

Intransitively, [Vid: START.]

Transitively, territare: terrere: terrefacere: alicui terrorem inferre, offerre, injicere, incutere: aliquem in timorem coujicere.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for startle?: The usual Latin words for “startle” are territō, terreō, offerō; also iniciō, incutiō. 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.