DictionaryRoot: ad-
Latin

ad-

to, toward; addition; sometimes emphasis

Forms

  • ad-
  • ac- — Used before c in Latin.
  • af- — Used before f in Latin.
  • ag- — Used before g in Latin.
  • al- — Used before l in Latin.
  • ap- — Used before p in Latin.
  • ar- — Used before r in Latin.
  • as- — Used before s in Latin.
  • at- — Used before t in Latin.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *ad, ‘to; near.’

Note

Later Latin-based spellings sometimes restored consonants that had disappeared in French.

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adjective

admirable

AD-mer-uh-bul/ˈædmərəbl/

Deserving respect or praise.

The witness applauds the young man's admirable rescue of the kitten.

A young man has lifted a stranded kitten from an open storm drain; a nearby witness warmly applauds his compassionate action.
Etymology

The pieces describe something worthy of being regarded with wonder. As admiration shifted from astonishment toward pleasure and esteem, admirable came to emphasize deserving praise rather than inspiring awe.

In context

Chronicle - Medieval History Documentaries73:14
The design and the strength of the system is admirable if we bear in mind that we are talking about something that was built more than a thousand years ago.
Inside Spain's Perfectly-Preserved Medieval Fortresses

More examples

  • Her patience was admirable.
  • They showed admirable restraint.
  • The work reflects admirable care.

Forms

admirable

Similar words

praiseworthy
Praiseworthy directly emphasizes deserving praise.
commendable
Commendable is a more formal favorable judgment.