Wordsmith.org: the magic of words


A.Word.A.Day

About | Media | Search | Contact  


Home

Today's Word

Yesterday's Word

Archives

FAQ



Oct 26, 2012
This week's theme
Words that aren't what they appear to be

This week's words
predial
hibernian
histrionics
blousy
redoubtable

This week's comments
AWADmail 539

Next week's theme
Words that appear to have been coined after the 2012 US presidential candidates
Discuss
Feedback
RSS/XML
Bookmark and Share Facebook Twitter Digg MySpace Bookmark and Share
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

redoubtable

PRONUNCIATION:
(ri-DOU-tuh-buhl)

MEANING:
adjective: Arousing fear or awe; evoking respect or honor.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Old French redoutable, from redouter (to dread), from re- (again) + douter (to doubt, fear). Ultimately from the Indo-European root dwo- (two) that also gave us dual, double, dubious, doubt, diploma, twin, between, and didymous. Earliest documented use: 1421.

USAGE:
"Even the redoubtable German economy now seems to be buckling."
Powering Down; The Economist (London, UK); Jul 7, 2012.

See more usage examples of redoubtable in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life -- the sick, the needy and the handicapped. -Hubert Horatio Humphrey, US Vice President (1911-1978)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith