English

admirable

Admirable comes from Latin admirābilis ‘admirable, wonderful, worthy of admiration’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *smey-.

Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*smey-reconstructed
Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sméyrosreconstructed
Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*smeirosreconstructed
Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmīrus‘wonderful, marvelous, amazing, surprising, miraculous’
Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmīror‘to be astonished at, marvel at, admire, be amazed at, wonder at’
Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEadmīror‘to admire, wonder at’
Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEadmirābilis‘admirable, wonderful, worthy of admiration’
Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600admirable
Middle Englishc. 1150–1500admyrable
Englishearliest quotation 1946admirable

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*smey-reconstructed
Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sméyrosreconstructed
Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*smeirosreconstructed
Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmīrus‘wonderful, marvelous, amazing, surprising, miraculous’
Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmīror‘to be astonished at, marvel at, admire, be amazed at, wonder at’
Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEadmīror‘to admire, wonder at’
Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEadmirābilis‘admirable, wonderful, worthy of admiration’
Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600admirable
Middle Englishc. 1150–1500admyrable
Englishearliest quotation 1946admirable

Earliest quotation: 1946, and August, British Locomotive Practice and Performance: “The admirable smoothness of the riding also reflected the…”

Equivalent to admire + -able

Proto-Indo-European *sméyros ‘laughing, smiling’

…

Latin mīror ‘wonder at’

Latin admīror ‘to admire or respect’

Middle French admirer

Middle English admyren

adj Deserving of the highest esteem or admiration; estimable.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.