Hideous Definition

Origin of Hideous

• From Middle English hidous, from Anglo-Norman hidous, from Old French hideus, hydus (“that which inspires terror”), from earlier hisdos, from hisda (“horror, fear”), of uncertain and disputed origin. Probably from Frankish *egisda, *egisida (“terror, fright”), from Proto-Germanic *agisiþō (“horror, terror”), from Proto-Germanic *agisōną (“to frighten, terrorise”), from Proto-Germanic *agaz (“terror, fear”), from Proto-Indo-European *aǵʰ-, *agʰ- (“to frighten”). Cognate with Old High German egisa, egidī (“horror”), Old English egesa (“fear, dread”), Gothic (agis, “fear, terror”).

  From Wiktionary

• Alternative etymology cites possbile derivation from Latin hispidosus (“rugged”), from hispidus (“rough, bristly”), yet the semantic evolution is less plausible.

  From Wiktionary

• Middle English variant of hidous from Anglo-Norman from Old French hide, hisde fear possibly of Germanic origin

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition