Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “intimidate” come from?

Intimidate comes from Latin intimidare, formed from the prefix in- and timidus, ultimately tracing through Proto-Indo-European h₁én meaning "in."

intimidate (English): To make timid or afraid; to cause to feel fear or...

Definitions

  1. To make timid or afraid; to cause to feel fear or...

Ancestry of “intimidate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinintimidatus—
2Latinintimidō—
3Latintimidusfearful, afraid, apprehensive, timid; cowardly
4Latintimeō—
5LatinTīmaeus—
6Ancient GreekΤῑ́μαιος—
7Ancient Greekτῑμάω—

Words derived from “intimidate”

  • intimidating
  • intimidatingly
  • intimidator
  • intimidatory
  • unintimidating
  • nonintimidating
Every word from Ancient Greek τῑμάω →