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ugsome (UHG-suhm) - adj., loathsome, disgusting, hideous, frightful.
Ugsome and ugly are twin adjectival Middle English (attested from the 14th century) derivatives from either ugge (fear/horror) or uggen (to fear/feel horror) -- it's not clear which, nor whether it makes a difference, tho' admittedly English usually makes adjectives from an intermediate noun form instead of straight from the verb. As such, the last sense above is the original. Ugge(n) itself comes from Old Norse uggr, fear, apprehension, dread, with PIE roots relating it to awe.
---L.
Ugsome and ugly are twin adjectival Middle English (attested from the 14th century) derivatives from either ugge (fear/horror) or uggen (to fear/feel horror) -- it's not clear which, nor whether it makes a difference, tho' admittedly English usually makes adjectives from an intermediate noun form instead of straight from the verb. As such, the last sense above is the original. Ugge(n) itself comes from Old Norse uggr, fear, apprehension, dread, with PIE roots relating it to awe.
---L.
