What is the meaning of もの in ものすごく?


I don't understand the function of もの in the following sentence:

> 薬が **もの** すごく苦かったから、急いで飲み込んだ。

The sentence makes perfect sense if I omit もの altogether, and I am not sure
what is its function in the sentence. Could it be a typo?

> 薬が ~~もの~~ すごく苦かったから、急いで飲み込んだ。

> The medicine was so bitter that I swallowed it swiftly.




After some research in the Internet, I found out that もの is not a standalone
word in the sentence above, but instead it is part of the word ものすごく, which
has the same meaning than すごく but with stronger intensity:

> このカボチャすごく大きい! This pumpkin is very big!

> あのカボチャものすごく巨大だ！That pumpkin is huge!

([source](https://hinative.com/ja/questions/965638))




After some research in the Internet, I found out that もの is not a standalone
word in the sentence above, but instead it is part of the word ものすごく, which
has the same meaning than すごく but with stronger intensity:

> このカボチャすごく大きい! This pumpkin is very big!

> あのカボチャものすごく巨大だ！That pumpkin is huge!

([source](https://hinative.com/ja/questions/965638))

