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, but compare -idus (with different vowel length), -ō (forming nouns).

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		infinitive						participle
		active			passive			active			passive
present		formīdāre			formīdārī			formīdāns			—
future		formīdātūrum esse			formīdātum īrī			formīdātūrus			formīdandus
perfect		formīdāvisse			formīdātum esse			—			formīdātus
future perfect		—			formīdātum fore			—			—
perfect potential		formīdātūrum fuisse			—			—			—
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

   Ōra formīdō mūta claudit.

   The fear closes the mouths mute.

2. fright, horror
3. scarecrow

Declension

Third-declension noun.

	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