English Online Dictionary. What means terrible? What does terrible mean?
English
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English terrible, from Old French terrible, from Latin terribilis (“frightful”), from terreō (“I frighten, terrify, alarm; I deter by terror, scare (away)”). Compare terror, deter. By surface analysis, terror + -ible.
Pronunciation
- (UK, US) IPA(key): /ˈtɛɹəbəl/, /ˈtɛɹɪbəl/
- (US, dialectal, archaic) IPA(key): /ˈtɝbəl/, /ˈtɛɚbəl/
- Homophone: tearable (with /ə/ and merry-Mary merger)
Adjective
terrible (comparative terribler or more terrible, superlative terriblest or most terrible)
- Dreadful; causing terror, alarm and fear; awesome
- Formidable, powerful.
- Intense; extreme in degree or extent.
- Unpleasant; disagreeable.
- Very bad; lousy.
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:frightening
Antonyms
- (antonym(s) of “very bad”): excellent
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
Adverb
terrible (comparative more terrible, superlative most terrible)
- (colloquial, dialect) In a terrible way; to a terrible extent; terribly; awfully.
References
Further reading
- “terrible”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “terrible”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
Anagrams
- treblier
Catalan
Etymology
(Can this(+) etymology be sourced?) Borrowed from Latin terribilis.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): (Central, Balearic) [təˈrib.blə]
- IPA(key): (Valencia) [teˈri.ble]
Adjective
terrible m or f (masculine and feminine plural terribles)
- terrible (causing fear)
- terrible (formidable, intense)
- (Can we add an example for this sense?)
Further readings
- “terrible” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
Chavacano
Etymology
(Can this(+) etymology be sourced?) Inherited from Spanish terrible.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /teˈrible/, [t̪eˈri.ble]
- IPA(key): /teˈɾibli/, [t̪eˈɾi.bli] (Ternateño)
- Hyphenation: te‧rri‧ble
Adjective
terrible
- terrible
- (Can we add an example for this sense?)
French
Etymology
Inherited from Middle French terrible, inherited from Old French terrible (first attested ca. 1160), borrowed from Latin terribilis.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /tɛ.ʁibl/ ~ /te.ʁibl/
Adjective
terrible (plural terribles)
- (all senses) terrible
- (colloquial) great, excellent
- (Can we add an example for this sense?)
Derived terms
- enfant terrible m
Related terms
- terreur f
- terriblement
- terrifier
Descendants
- → Romanian: teribil
Further reading
- “terrible”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Old French
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin terribilis (first attested ca. 1160).
Pronunciation
Adjective
terrible m (oblique and nominative feminine singular terriblee)
- terrible
- (Can we add an example for this sense?)
Noun
terrible oblique singular, m or f (oblique plural terribles, nominative singular terribles, nominative plural terrible)
- terrible
- (Can we add an example for this sense?)
Descendants
- Middle French: terrible
- French: terrible
- → Romanian: teribil
- French: terrible
- → Middle English: terrible
- English: terrible
References
- “terrible”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin terribilis. Cognate with English terrible.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /teˈrible/ [t̪eˈri.β̞le]
- Rhymes: -ible
- Syllabification: te‧rri‧ble
Adjective
terrible m or f (masculine and feminine plural terribles)
- terrible, awful, horrible (very bad)
- appalling (shocking, causing consternation)
- (Can we add an example for this sense?)
- terrific (very great or intense)
Derived terms
Related terms
Descendants
- Chavacano: terrible
Further reading
- “terrible”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2023 November 28