famous
Meaning
known about by many people
Structure
Usage
she became famous overnight after her performance went viral.
the city is famous for its historical architecture and vibrant cuisine.
he avoided the famous tourist traps and explored the local neighborhoods instead.
Etymology
the word 'famous' entered english in the late 14th century from the old french 'fameus', which itself derived from the latin 'famosus'. the latin root is 'fama', signifying 'talk, rumor, reputation', a concept that can be traced back to the proto-indo-european root bha-, meaning 'to speak'. the suffix '-ous', from latin '-osus', imparts the meaning 'full of' or 'characterized by'. thus, the literal construction 'full of report or reputation' evolved logically into its modern abstract meaning of being widely known and celebrated.
Analysis
fam (from latin 'fama', meaning 'report, rumor, reputation', of proto-indo-european origin). ous (a suffix forming adjectives, from latin '-osus', meaning 'full of, prone to').