formidable
[ fawr-mi-duh-buhl ]
/ ˈfɔr mɪ də bəl /
adjective
causing fear, apprehension, or dread: a formidable opponent.
of discouraging or awesome strength, size, difficulty, etc.; intimidating: a formidable problem.
arousing feelings of awe or admiration because of grandeur, strength, etc.
of great strength; forceful; powerful: formidable opposition to the proposal.
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Origin of formidable
1400–50; late Middle English < French < Latin formīdābilis causing fear, equivalent to formīd- (stem of formīdāre to fear) + -ābilis -able
SYNONYMS FOR formidable
Related forms
Can be confusedformative formidable
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for formidable
British Dictionary definitions for formidable
formidable
/ (ˈfɔːmɪdəbəl) /
adjective
arousing or likely to inspire fear or dread
extremely difficult to defeat, overcome, manage, etca formidable problem
tending to inspire awe or admiration because of great size, strength, excellence, etc
Derived Formsformidability or formidableness, nounformidably, adverb
Word Origin for formidable
C15: from Latin formīdābilis, from formīdāre to dread, from formīdō fear
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for formidable
formidable
mid-15c., from Middle French formidable (15c.), from Latin formidabilis "causing fear, terrible," from formidare "to fear," from formido "fearfulness, fear, terror, dread." Related: Formidably.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper