Etymologically
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enormous

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 12:07. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɪˈnɔː.məs/ (UK); /ɪˈnoɹ.məs/, /iˈnoɹ.məs/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin ēnormis (“irregular, extraordinary, very large”), with English -ous in place of -is,[2][3][4] from ē- (“out of”) and norma (“rule, pattern”) (see norm).[2][3][5] It replaced earlier enormyous, very great or monstrous (mid-15th century).[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Deviating from the ordinary rule, abnormal, usually in a bad sense: 1531.[2][6][4]

Semantic evolution

Extraordinary in size, huge, is from 1544, the 1540s in Etymonline.[6][3] Of persons and actions, disorderly, outrageous or wicked, is from 1593 and is now archaic.[6][7] Word Origins notes that this bad sense survives in enormity, a grave crime or the extreme seriousness of something, though people increasingly use enormity simply for great size.[5][3]

Timeline

  • 1531 – abnormal.[2][6]
  • 1544 – huge.[6]
  • 1593 – outrageous, wicked (now archaic).[6]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Very large in size, amount or degree; huge or immense.
  2. (archaic) Extremely wicked; heinous.

Word family

  • enormously
  • enormousness

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ a b Cresswell, Julia (2021), Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  6. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins