Wiktionary

formidable

English

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Middle French formidable, from Latin formīdābilis (“formidable, terrible”), from formīdō (“fear, dread”).

Pronunciation

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  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈfɔːɹmɪdəbəl/, IPA(key): /fɔːɹˈmɪdəbəl/
  • (UK) IPA(key): /fɔːˈmɪdəbəl/, /fəˈmɪdəbəl/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Adjective

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formidable (comparative more formidable, superlative most formidable)

  1. Causing fear, dread, awe, or discouragement as a result of size, strength, or some other impressive feature; commanding respect; causing wonder or astonishment.
  2. Difficult to defeat or overcome.
    a formidable opponent
    • 1978, Richard Nixon, RN: the Memoirs of Richard Nixon‎[1], Grosset & Dunlap, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 577:
      As I look back on that week in China two impressions stand out most vividly. One is the awesome sight of the disciplined but wildly—almost fanatically—enthusiastic audience at the gymnastic exhibition in Peking, confirming my belief that we must cultivate China during the next few decades while it is still learning to develop its national strength and potential. Otherwise we will one day be confronted with the most formidable enemy that has ever existed in the history of the world.
    • 2012 May 9, John Percy, “Birmingham City 2 Blackpool 2 (2–3 on agg): Match report”, in Tony Gallagher, editor, The Daily Telegraph‎[2], London: Telegraph Media Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 6 January 2018:
      [Ian] Holloway has unfinished business in the Premier League after relegation last year and he will make a swift return if he can overcome West Ham a week on Saturday. Sam Allardyce, the West Ham manager, will be acutely aware that when the stakes are high, Blackpool are simply formidable.

Translations

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Catalan

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin formīdābilis.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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formidable m or f (masculine and feminine plural formidables)

  1. formidable

Derived terms

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Further reading

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French

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin formīdābilis (“formidable, terrible”), from formīdō (“fear, dread”).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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formidable (plural formidables)

  1. (dated or literary) fearsome
  2. fantastic, tremendous
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Further reading

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Norwegian Bokmål

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Adjective

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formidable

  1. definite singular of formidabel
  2. plural of formidabel

Norwegian Nynorsk

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Adjective

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formidable

  1. definite singular of formidabel
  2. plural of formidabel

Occitan

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Etymology

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From Latin formīdābilis.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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formidable m (feminine singular formidabla, masculine plural formidables, feminine plural formidablas)

  1. formidable

Spanish

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin formidābilis.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /foɾmiˈdable/ [foɾ.miˈð̞a.β̞le]
  • Rhymes: -able
  • Syllabification: for‧mi‧da‧ble

Adjective

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formidable m or f (masculine and feminine plural formidables)

  1. formidable
  2. great, fantastic
    Synonyms: genial, fantástico
  3. tremendous
    Synonym: tremendo

Derived terms

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Further reading

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