the adverb 'stupendously' is built upon the adjective 'stupendous', which entered english in the mid-17th century from the late latin stupendus, meaning 'to be wondered at'. this derives from the latin verb stupere, 'to be stunned or amazed', a root it shares with words like 'stupor' and 'stupid'. the suffix -ous attaches to form the adjective, literally 'full of amazement', and the old english adverbial suffix -ly is then added. the word's journey encapsulates a shift from a state of literal stunned numbness to a hyperbolic expression for anything so vast or impressive as to inspire awe.

Structure: stupend (to be stunned) + ous (adjective suffix) + ly (adverb suffix) - stupend: from latin stupendus, gerundive of stupere meaning 'to be stunned or amazed'. - ous: a suffix of latin origin (-osus) used to form adjectives meaning 'full of' or 'having the quality of'. - ly: a suffix of old english origin (-lice) used to form adverbs from adjectives.