formidable

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA: /ˈfɔː(ɹ)mɪdəbəl/, IPA: /fɔː(ɹ)ˈmɪdəbəl/
• (UK) IPA: /fəˈmɪdəbəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

formidable (comparative more formidable, superlative most formidable)

1. causing fear, dread, awe or admiration as a result of size, strength, or some other impressive quality; commanding respect
2. difficult to defeat or overcome
   • 2012 May 9, John Percy, “Birmingham City 2 Blackpool 2 (2-3 on agg): match report”, the Telegraph:

     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

causing fear, dread, awe or admiration as a result of size, strength, or some other impressive quality

• Armenian: ահեղ (hy) (aheġ), ահարկու (hy) (aharku)
• Bulgarian: страховит (bg) (strahovit) m
• Dutch: ontzagwekkend (nl)
• Finnish: mahtava, valtava, vaikuttava

• French: formidable (fr)
• Norwegian: formidabel (no)
• Portuguese: formidável (pt)
• Romanian: formidabil (ro) m and n
• Russian: устрашающий (ru) (ustrašajuščij), внушительный (ru) (vnušitelʹnyj)

difficult to defeat or overcome

• Armenian: հսկայական (hy) (hskayakan)
• Dutch: formidabel (nl)

• Norwegian: formidabel (no)
• Swedish: formidabel (sv)

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French

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• audio

  (file)

• IPA: /fɔʁmidabl/

Adjective

formidable (masculine and feminine, plural formidables)

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

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Norwegian

Adjective

formidable

1. plural of formidabel

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Spanish

Adjective

formidable m and f (plural formidables)

1. great, fantastic, tremendous
2. formidable