enormous: [16] Etymologically, enormous is a parallel formation to abnormal and extraordinary. It comes from Latin ēnormis, a compound adjective formed from the prefix ex- ‘out of’ and norma ‘pattern, rule’ – hence literally ‘out of the usual pattern’. It originally had a range of meanings in English, including ‘abnormal, unusual’ (‘entered the choir in a military habit, and other enormous disguises’, Thomas Warton, History of English Poetry 1774) and ‘outrageous’.
By the beginning of the 19th century these had mostly died out, leaving the field clear for modern English ‘huge’, although the notion of ‘outrageousness’ remains in the noun derivative enormity [15]. => abnormal, normal
enormous (adj.)
1530s, "abnormal" (usually in a bad sense), from Latin enormis "out of rule, irregular, shapeless; extraordinary, very large," from assimilated form of ex- "out of" (see ex-) + norma "rule, norm" (see norm), with English -ous substituted for Latin -is. Meaning "extraordinary in size" is attested from 1540s; original sense of "outrageous" is more clearly preserved in enormity. Earlier was enormyous (mid-15c.) "exceedingly great, monstrous." Related: Enormously; enormousness.
双语例句
1. She was a shy, delicately pretty girl with enormous blue eyes.
她是一个害羞、娇美的女孩，长着一双大大的蓝眼睛。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Enormous acreages of soya beans are grown in the United States.
美国种植着大片的大豆。
来自柯林斯例句
3. The company was coasting on the enormous success of its early products.
公司凭借早期产品的巨大成功而在市场上遥遥领先。
来自柯林斯例句
4. The two firms wield enormous clout in financial markets.
两家公司在金融市场有非常大的影响力。
来自柯林斯例句
5. The boss retains enormous influence by reason of his position.