Etymology

formidable

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Today it means: Causing fear, dread, awe, or discouragement as a result of size, strength, or some other impressive feature; commanding respect; causing wonder or astonishment. Full definition →

Middle English formidable ← Old French formidable ← Latin formīdābilis
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromformīdābilis“formidable, terrible”
  2. Old French · derived fromformidable
  3. Middle English · inherited fromformidable
  4. English todayformidable

From Middle English formidable, from Old French formidable, formible, from Latin formīdābilis (“formidable, terrible”) (whence -able), from formīdō (“fear, dread”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.