Added 9 October 2026
terrific
/təˈɹɪf.ɪk/ adjective
Latin root: terrificus Wiktionary
adjective Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about terrific at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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Very great or intense.
a terrific noise
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Extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers.
a fantastic trip to the Orient
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Causing extreme terror.
a terrifying wail
Origin
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.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)