Sublime
/səˈblaɪm/noun
Of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire awe or wonder.
Did you know?Its root is tied to limen, meaning “threshold,” so the word originally described something that rose right up to a boundary before becoming a term for awe-inspiring greatness.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*lei-
“to bend, lean, or slope”
Latin
Latin
sublimis
“uplifted, high, lofty; literally 'up to the threshold' or 'up to the lintel'”
Late Latin
Latin
sublimare
“to raise, elevate”
Old French
Old French
sublime
“lofty, exalted, elevated”
Late Middle English
English
sublim
“high, exalted, grand”
Modern English
English
sublime
“inspiring awe through beauty, grandeur, or excellence”
Explore more surprising origins