admired
Meaning
regarded with respect, warm approval, or delighted surprise.
looked at with pleasure.
Structure
Usage
She admired his courage in speaking out.
He stood back and admired his finished painting.
Her work is widely admired for its innovation.
Etymology
The word 'admired' is built upon the verb 'admire', which entered English in the late Middle English period from the Old French admirer. This, in turn, derives from the Latin admirari, a compound of ad- ('to') and mirari ('to wonder'). The core Latin root mir- relates to wonder and astonishment, a sense preserved in related words like 'miracle' and 'mirror' (originally a thing to be looked at with wonder). The literal meaning "to regard with wonder" evolved through French and English usage to emphasize the positive aspects of that wonder—respect, approval, and pleasure. The addition of the '-d' suffix follows the standard English convention for forming the past tense and past participle of regular verbs, anchoring the abstract concept of wonder and respect to a completed action or state.
Analysis
- ad: Latin prefix meaning "to, toward". - mire: From Latin mirari (to wonder at, admire), via Old French mirer. - d: English suffix indicating the past tense and past participle form of a regular verb.