dubitation n.

1540s, "puzzling, occasioning doubt or uncertainty;" 1630s, "doubtful, hesitating in opinion;" from Late Latin dubiosus "doubtful," from Latin dubium "doubt," neuter of dubius "vacillating, moving two ways, fluctuating;" figuratively "wavering in opinion, doubting, doubtful," from duo "two" (from PIE root *dwo- "two"), with a sense of "of two minds, undecided between two things." Old English also used tweo "two" to mean "doubt." Compare doubt (v.). Related: Dubiously; dubiousness.

"doubtfulness, dubiousness," 1650s, from Late Latin dubietas "doubt, uncertainty," from Latin dubius "vacillating, fluctuating," figuratively "wavering in opinion, doubting" (see dubious). Earlier in the same sense were dubiosity (1640s), dubiousness (1650s); also see dubitation.

Ignorance is the mother of two filthy daughters; the first daughter of Ignorance is called dubiety, or doubtfulnesse, which is a continual wavering in opinion; a knowing man hath a fixt spirit, and settled judgement, but an ignorant man is a double-minded man, though he be never so resolute and wilful in his opinions. [W. Geering, "The Mischiefes and Danger of the Sin of Ignorance," London, 1659]