English Explanatory Dictionary

terrible

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Dreadful; causing terror, alarm and fear; awesome
  2. Formidable, powerful.
  3. Intense; extreme in degree or extent.
  4. Very unpleasant; disagreeable.
  5. Very bad; lousy.
  6. Prone to a particular temptation.
adv
  1. In a terrible way; to a terrible extent; terribly; awfully.

Pronunciation

/ˈtɛɹəbəl/ [ˈtɛɹəbl̩] /ˈtɛɹɪbəl/ [ˈtɛɹɪbl̩] LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-terrible.wav en-us-terrible.ogg /ˈteɹəbəl/ /ˈtɛɾəbəl/ /ˈtɛɾɪbəl/ /ˈtɝ.bəl/ /ˈtɛɚ.bəl/

Word forms

terrible terribler more terrible terriblest most terrible

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *tres- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Indo-European *troséyeti Proto-Italic *trozeō Latin terreō Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlis Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin terribilisbor. Old French terriblebor. Middle English terrible English terrible Inherited from Middle English terrible, from Old French terrible, from Latin terribilis (“frightful”), from terreō (“to frighten, terrify, alarm; to deter by terror, scare (away)”). Compare terror, deter. By surface analysis, terror + -ible.

Synonyms

awful

Antonyms

excellent

Related words

terrific terrify terrifying terror terrorist terrorize

Derived words

a mind is a terrible thing to waste something terrible terrible infant terrible lizard Terrible Towel terrible twos terribly
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