admirable
UK[ˈædmərəbl]US[ˈædmərəbl]
adj
deserving respect and approval; excellent
Morpheme Breakdown
ad
mir
able
ad
to, towards
mir
to wonder at, admire
able
capable of, worthy of
Etymology
the word 'admirable' entered english in the late middle english period, borrowed from old french 'admirable', which itself derived from latin 'admirabilis'. this latin adjective was formed from the verb 'admirari', meaning 'to wonder at', which is a compound of the prefix 'ad-' ('to') and the root 'mirari' ('to wonder'). the core root 'mir-' is of proto-indo-european origin, related to concepts of smiling and wonder, seen in sanskrit 'smerah' (smiling) and latin 'mirus' (wonderful). thus, the literal sense of 'worthy of being wondered at' evolved into the modern meaning of being worthy of high esteem and approval.
Analysis
Structure: ad + mir + able
ad- (latin, prefix meaning 'to, towards'), mir (latin root 'mirare/mirari' meaning 'to wonder at, admire'), -able (latin suffix via old french, meaning 'capable of, worthy of')
Examples
she showed admirable courage in the face of danger.
his dedication to his work is truly admirable.
the team made an admirable effort to finish the project on time.