different between stupendous vs stupefy

English

Etymology

First attested from 1547, from Late Latin stupendus (“stunning, amazing”), from Latin stupeo (“(I) am stunned”). Compare stupid. See Latin stupeo for more.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /stu?p?nd?s/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /stju?p?nd?s/
• Rhymes: -?nd?s

Adjective

stupendous (comparative more stupendous, superlative most stupendous)

1. Astonishingly great or large; huge; enormous.

   One cannot appreciate how stupendous the Matterhorn is without seeing it.

2. Of stunning excellence or degree; marvelous.

   The renovator created a stupendous new look for our house.

Synonyms

• colossal, enormous, huge, marvelous, prodigious, terrific, tremendous
• See also Thesaurus:gigantic

Derived terms

• stupendously
• stupendousness

Related terms

• stupid
• stupor

Translations

References

• Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary, 1987-1996.

English

Etymology

From Middle French stupéfier, from Latin stupefaci? (“strike dumb, stun with amazement, stupefy”), from stupe? (“I am stunned, speechless”) (English stupid, stupor) + faci? (“do, make”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?st(j)up??fa?/, /?st?up??fa?/

Verb

stupefy (third-person singular simple present stupefies, present participle stupefying, simple past and past participle stupefied)

1. (transitive) To dull the senses or capacity to think thereby reducing responsiveness; to dazzle or stun.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations