horror
UK[ˈhɒrə(r)]US[ˈhɔːrər]
n
an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust.
n
a literary or film genre concerned with arousing feelings of horror.
n
a thing causing a feeling of horror.
Morpheme Breakdown
horr
or
horr
tremble, bristle
or
noun suffix denoting state or condition
Etymology
the word horror originates from the latin verb horrēre, which meant to bristle, stand on end, or shudder. this physical reaction, such as hair standing on end due to cold or fear, was metaphorically extended to describe a profound feeling of dread or terror. the latin noun horror was formed by adding the suffix -or to the verb stem, denoting the state or result of shuddering. entering english via old french in the 14th century, it retained this core sense of intense fear and revulsion, evolving to also describe the genre that elicits such emotions.
Analysis
Structure: horr (tremble, bristle) + or (noun suffix denoting state or condition)
horr (from latin horrēre, meaning to bristle, tremble, shudder); or (latin noun-forming suffix denoting a state or condition).
Examples
she watched the horror movie with her hands over her eyes.
the survivors spoke of the horror they witnessed during the disaster.
the idea of being trapped in a small space filled him with horror.