formidable: [15] Latin formīdō meant ‘fear’ (it may have links with Greek mormó ‘bugbear, goblin’, which came from an Indo-European *mormo). From it was derived the verb formīdāre, which in turn produced the adjective formīdābilis, which English originally acquired in the literal sense ‘inspiring fear’. The weaker ‘impressive in size, difficulty, etc’ is a 17thcentury development.
formidable (adj.)
mid-15c., "causing fear," from Middle French formidable (15c.), from Latin formidabilis "causing fear, terrible," from formidare "to fear," from formido "fearfulness, fear, terror, dread." Sense has softened somewhat over time, in the direction of "so great (in strength, size, etc.) as to discourage effort." Related: Formidably.
实用例句
1. They possess a formidable arsenal of rifles, machine guns, landmines and teargas.
他们持有的步枪、机枪、地雷和催泪弹数量惊人。来自柯林斯例句
2. Marsalis has a formidable reputation in both jazz and classical music.
