'awestricken' is formed in English by combining 'awe' + the past participle 'stricken' (from 'strike'), where 'awe' comes from Old Norse 'agi' meaning 'terror, dread, awe' and 'stricken' comes from Old English 'strīcan/stricen' meaning 'to strike'.

'awestricken' developed as a compound concept from earlier phrases like 'awe-struck' or 'awe-stricken'; the adjective 'awestruck' became common, and 'awestricken' appears as a close variant expressing being 'struck' by awe.

Originally it often implied being 'struck with terror or dread', but over time the sense shifted (or broadened) to the more common modern meaning of being filled with reverential wonder or admiration.