terrible

Reading level: medium

Estimated CEFR level: A2 — Elementary

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. adjective causing fear or dread or terror
  2. adjective exceptionally bad or displeasing
  3. adjective intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality

Etymology

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.

In classic literature

Synonyms

awful, dire, direful, dread, dreaded, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific

A single word — an entire dictionary opens.

Type a word, a sentence, a book title, or a link to an English article. WordNet and the Classics answer.

Try

A library of classics · a vault of words · instant etymology & meaning

Continue reading