Fearest

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To feel the most intense sense of apprehension towards imminent dangers or unfavorable conditions
2. To possess the highest level of fear or trepidation in relation to a specific event or situation
3. Feels the strongest sense of dread or anxiety about something threatening or unsettling

Etymology: "Fearest" is the superlative form of "fear" used as an adjective, meaning most afraid. It is built from the base word "fear" plus the superlative ending "-est," which English has used since Old English to mark the highest degree of a quality, as in "wisest" or "fastest." The base word traces back through Old English "fǣr," meaning sudden danger or calamity, and Middle English "fere," which later became "fear." Behind these lies a Proto-Germanic root, "fērizn," the ancestor of the Germanic family of words for sudden peril or dread. The superlative ending itself comes from Proto-Germanic "-ōstaz," which passed into Old English as "-ast" and later softened to "-est." Put together, "fearest" simply stacks the ancient superlative onto a word for sudden danger, giving the sense of the most fearful of a group.