English Explanatory Dictionary

terrific

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Terrifying, causing terror; terrible; sublime, awe-inspiring.
  2. Very strong or intense; excessive, tremendous.
  3. Extremely good; excellent, amazing.

Pronunciation

/təˈɹɪfɪk/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-terrific.wav En-us-terrific.ogg /ˈʈɛrɨfɪk/

Word forms

terrific more terrific most terrific terrifick

Etymology

From French terrifique, and its source, Latin terrificus (“terrifying”), from terrēre (“to frighten, terrify”) + -ficus, related to facere (“to make”). By surface analysis, terrify + -ic. The sense of excellent or amazing is an ameliorative semantic shift from the original sense of terrifying. Compare similar semantic development in sick and wicked.

Synonyms

brilliant horrific affreux alarming spine-tingling appalling awful eldritch buggish butt-clenching buttock-clenching dismayful dreadful fearful flaysome flesh-crawling formidable freaky frightening frightensome frightful ghastly ghostly grisly hair-curling hair-raising horrible horrid horrifying horripilating pulse-pounding scaring scary shocking skin-crawling terrible terrifying terrorsome

Related words

terrible terrify terrifying terror terrorist terrorize
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