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.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /forˈmiː.doː/, [fɔrˈmiːd̪oː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /forˈmi.do/, [forˈmiːd̪o]

Verb

formīdō (present infinitive formīdāre, perfect active formīdāvī, supine formīdātum); first conjugation

1. to dread or fear
2. to be afraid of or for

Conjugation

Conjugation of formīdō (first conjugation)
indicative		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	formīdō	formīdās	formīdat	formīdāmus	formīdātis	formīdant
	imperfect	formīdābam	formīdābās	formīdābat	formīdābāmus	formīdābātis	formīdābant
	future	formīdābō	formīdābis	formīdābit	formīdābimus	formīdābitis	formīdābunt
	perfect	formīdāvī	formīdāvistī	formīdāvit	formīdāvimus	formīdāvistis	formīdāvērunt, formīdāvēre
	pluperfect	formīdāveram	formīdāverās	formīdāverat	formīdāverāmus	formīdāverātis	formīdāverant
	future perfect	formīdāverō	formīdāveris	formīdāverit	formīdāverimus	formīdāveritis	formīdāverint
passive	present	formīdor	formīdāris, formīdāre	formīdātur	formīdāmur	formīdāminī	formīdantur
	imperfect	formīdābar	formīdābāris, formīdābāre	formīdābātur	formīdābāmur	formīdābāminī	formīdābantur
	future	formīdābor	formīdāberis, formīdābere	formīdābitur	formīdābimur	formīdābiminī	formīdābuntur
	perfect	formīdātus + present active indicative of sum
	pluperfect	formīdātus + imperfect active indicative of sum
	future perfect	formīdātus + future active indicative of sum
subjunctive		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	formīdem	formīdēs	formīdet	formīdēmus	formīdētis	formīdent
	imperfect	formīdārem	formīdārēs	formīdāret	formīdārēmus	formīdārētis	formīdārent
	perfect	formīdāverim	formīdāverīs	formīdāverit	formīdāverīmus	formīdāverītis	formīdāverint
	pluperfect	formīdāvissem	formīdāvissēs	formīdāvisset	formīdāvissēmus	formīdāvissētis	formīdāvissent
passive	present	formīder	formīdēris, formīdēre	formīdētur	formīdēmur	formīdēminī	formīdentur
	imperfect	formīdārer	formīdārēris, formīdārēre	formīdārētur	formīdārēmur	formīdārēminī	formīdārentur
	perfect	formīdātus + present active subjunctive of sum
	pluperfect	formīdātus + imperfect active subjunctive of sum
imperative		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	—	formīdā	—	—	formīdāte	—
	future	—	formīdātō	formīdātō	—	formīdātōte	formīdantō
passive	present	—	formīdāre	—	—	formīdāminī	—
	future	—	formīdātor	formīdātor	—	—	formīdantor
non-finite forms		active			passive
		present	perfect	future	present	perfect	future
infinitives		formīdāre	formīdāvisse	formīdātūrum esse	formīdārī	formīdātum esse	formīdātum īrī
participles		formīdāns	—	formīdātūrus	—	formīdātus	formīdandus
verbal nouns		gerund				supine
		genitive	dative	accusative	ablative	accusative	ablative
		formīdandī	formīdandō	formīdandum	formīdandō	formīdātum	formīdātū

Derived terms

• afformīdō
• performīdō
• praeformīdō
• reformīdō

Noun

formīdō f (genitive formīdinis); third declension

1. fear, alarm, terror, dread
2. fright, horror
3. scarecrow

Declension

Third-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	formīdō	formīdinēs
Genitive	formīdinis	formīdinum
Dative	formīdinī	formīdinibus
Accusative	formīdinem	formīdinēs
Ablative	formīdine	formīdinibus
Vocative	formīdō	formīdinēs

Derived terms

• formīdābilis
• formīdāmen
• formīdulōsus

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.
  • superstitious fears; phantoms: formidines
    
• Pokorny, Julius (1959) Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 2, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 749