formido

== Latin == === Etymology === The verb is probably derived from the noun. Their origin is unknown: Possibly from the root Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- (“to hold”) (the same of firmus), as the fear that makes one rigid. Alternatively cognate with Ancient Greek μόρμορος (mórmoros, “fear, panic”), μύρμος (múrmos, “fear”) and μορμώ (mormṓ, “bogey, she-monster”), with the same dissimilation *morm- > form- seen in formīca and possibly fōrma.If this is of Proto-Indo-European origin, it would appear to be a reduplication of a root *mer-, possibly the same root as *mer- (“to disturb”) and/or the source of *mor- (“incubus, mare (evil female spirit of nightmares)”) (which is otherwise thought to be from *mer- (“to disappear, die”)). (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?) However, De Vaan reconstructs only a stem *mormo- which he does not allow an etymology.If not Indo-European, then a substrate origin must be considered, which the variation of forms in Greek and morphological obscurity in both languages make likely. (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?) The suffix component -īd- is unexplained in either case, but compare -idus (with different vowel length), -īdō (in libīdō, cupīdō) and -ēdō (in more nouns). === Pronunciation === (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [fɔrˈmiː.doː] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [forˈmiː.do] === Verb === formīdō (present infinitive formīdāre, perfect active formīdāvī, supine formīdātum); first conjugation to dread or fear to be afraid of or for ==== Conjugation ==== ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== → Italian: formidare, ⇒ formidolare → Middle French: formider → Spanish: formidar === Noun === formīdō f (genitive formīdinis); third declension fear, alarm, terror, dread fright, horror scarecrow ==== Declension ==== Third-declension noun. === References === === Further reading === “formido”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press “formido”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers “formido”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette. Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894), Latin Phrase-Book‎[1], London: Macmillan and Co. Pokorny, Julius (1959), Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 2, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 749