for·mi·da·ble
(fôŕmĭ-də-bəl, fôr-mĭd́ə-)
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin formīdābilis, from formīdāre, to fear, from formīdō, fear.]
adjective
- Arousing fear, dread, or alarm: the formidable prospect of major surgery.
- Inspiring awe, admiration, or wonder: “Though a true hero, he was also a thoroughgoing bureaucrat and politician, a formidable combination” (Mario Puzo)
- Difficult to undertake, surmount, or defeat: a formidable challenge; a formidable opponent.
derivatives
- foŕmi·da·biĺi·ty
- noun
- foŕmi·da·bly
- adverb
usage note
Usage Note: Traditionally formidable has been pronounced with stress on the first syllable, but recently the pronunciation with stress on the second syllable, which is a common variant in British English, appears to be on the rise in American English. The traditional pronunciation is apparently still preferred by a large majority of educated speakers, however. A recent survey shows that 80 percent of the Usage Panel use the pronunciation (fôŕmĭ-də-bəl), while 14 percent use (fôr-mĭd́ə-bəl). A few Panelists approved both pronunciations.
