Awful
/ˈɔː.fəl/noun
Extremely bad, unpleasant, or serious.
Did you know?In Middle English, awful described things worthy of awe or reverence; its modern negative meaning emerged as the word shifted toward fear, dread, and extreme unpleasantness.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*agh-es-
“To fear or experience dread; the proposed ancestral root of Germanic fear-words”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*agiz
“Fear, terror, or dread”
Old Norse
Old Norse
agi
“Fear, terror, or awe”
Middle English
English
awful
“Inspiring awe; worthy of reverence or dread”
17th Century
English
awful
“Solemn, impressive, or spiritually imposing”
18th–19th Century
English
awful
“Extremely bad, unpleasant, or excessive—the dominant modern sense”