(rih-DOW-tuh-buhl)

(adj.) 1. Formidable; something to be feared 2. Awe-inspiring, deserving honor or respect

This word derives from French "redouter," meaning "to dread." And yes, it's related to the English word "doubt," which has an archaic meaning of "fear." (In the early 1600s, for example, a writer noted "St. Ann's Chapel is very near the sea, yet doubts not drowning.")

"Brazil will need all of Ronaldo's redoubtable skills, because it opens its World Cup defense against Scotland with a queasy sense of dread."--from a New York Times story about Brazilian soccer star "Ronaldo."