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stu·pen·dous

(st-pĕndəs, sty-)

adj.

1. So great in scope, degree, or importance as to amaze: a stupendous catastrophe.

2. Extremely large in amount, extent, or size; enormous: stupendous wealth; a stupendous waterfall.

3. Remarkable; outstanding: "Perhaps he had never possessed the necessary egoism, and was secretly relieved no longer having to be publicly stupendous" (Philip Roth).

[From Late Latin stupendus, stunning, gerundive of Latin stupēre, to be stunned.]

stu·pendous·ly adv.

stu·pendous·ness n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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