eerie

UK: ˈɪəri | US: ˈɪri

Definition

  1. adj. strange and frightening

  2. adj. mysterious or unsettling

Structure
eer <fear>ie <adjective suffix>
Etymology

The word "eerie" originates from the Old English earg (cowardly, fearful), which evolved into the Scots eerie (fearful, superstitious). The modern sense of "strange and unsettling" emerged in the 18th century, influenced by folklore and ghost stories. The suffix -ie is a common adjectival ending in Scots and English, softening the root into a descriptive term.

Examples

  1. The abandoned house had an eerie silence.

  2. She felt an eerie presence in the foggy graveyard.

  3. The eerie glow of the moonlight made the forest seem haunted.

  4. His eerie laughter sent chills down my spine.

  5. The old photograph had an eerie resemblance to her grandmother.