Meaning

noun an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)

noun the trait of being afraid

originEtymology tree English fearful Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English fearfulness From fearful + -ness.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0