noun

awe

awe, wonder, reverence

They gazed in awe at the mountains.

They gazed in awe at the mountains.

He held the ancient book with a sense of awe.

He held the ancient book with a sense of awe.

((in awe of sb./sth.)) to feel great respect for (sb./sth.) They stood in awe of the king.

Synonyms: reverence, wonder, admiration; Antonyms: contempt, disrespect

From Old Norse 'agi' meaning 'fright, terror'. It captures a feeling of mixed fear and respect.

Imagine saying 'Ahhh...' when you see something magnificent. The word 'awe' sounds like that.

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