Where does “intimidating” come from?
Intimidating comes from Latin intimidare, meaning to frighten, formed from the prefix in- and timidus, ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European h₁én.
intimidating (English): present participle of intimidate; threatening
Definitions
- present participle of intimidate; threatening
Ancestry of “intimidating”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | intimidate | To make timid or afraid; to cause to feel fear or... |
| 2 | Latin | intimidatus | — |
| 3 | Latin | intimidō | to intimidate, render timid, terrify |
| 4 | Latin | timidus | fearful, afraid, apprehensive, timid; cowardly |
| 5 | Latin | timeō | to fear, be afraid of, apprehend, be apprehensive of |
| 6 | Latin | Tīmaeus | — |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | Τῑ́μαιος | — |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | τῑμάω | to pay honor to; to hold in honor; to treat honorably; to honor; to revere |