An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Short term random variations either in amplitude or phase of a radio signal.

Etymology (EN): Jitter, may be variant of chitter “tremble, shiver,” from M.E. chiteren “to twitter, chatter.”

Etymology (PE): Jastojah, from jast and jah past and present stems of jahidan “to jump, leap, spring forward; to shake or tremble,” from Mid.Pers. jastan, jahidan “to jump,” figuratively “to happen, occur;” Av. yaēš-, yas- “to boil;” cf. Skt. yas-, yásyati “to boil, to heat; to make effort” + -o- euphonic infix, on the model of kandokâv, oftoxiz, and so on.