Not safe or secure; likely to fall, fail, or change in an unwanted way without warning.
From Latin 'precarius' meaning 'obtained by begging' or 'uncertain,' derived from 'prex' (prayer). The meaning evolved from 'uncertain' to 'dangerously unstable.'
The word 'precarious' literally means 'obtained by prayer'—ancient Romans used it for things you had to pray to the gods to keep safe—and this reveals why something precarious feels so nerve-wracking: it depends on forces beyond your control, just like hoping the gods are listening.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.