hideus
Old French
Alternative forms
Etymology
From earlier hisdos, hisdus, from hisda (“horror, fear”), of uncertain and disputed origin. Probably from Frankish *egisda, *egisida (“terror, fright”), from Proto-Germanic *agisiþō (“horror, terror”). Cognate with Old High German egisa, egidī (“horror”), Old English egesa (“fear, dread”), Gothic 𐌰𐌲𐌹𐍃 (agis, “fear, terror”).
Alternative etymology cites possible derivation from Latin hispidosus (“rugged”), from hispidus (“rough, bristly”), yet the semantic evolution is less plausible.
Adjective
hideus m (oblique and nominative feminine singular hideuse)
- ugly; hideous
- circa 1170, Christian of Troyes, Yvain ou le Chevalier au Lion:
- Grans et hideus a desmesure
Et si tres laide creature […]- Big and ugly beyond belief
Such an ugly creature
- Big and ugly beyond belief