Why are terrible and terrific opposites?

Terrible and terrific are both formed off the same root: terror. Both started out a few hundred years ago with the meaning of terror-inducing. But terrific took a strange turn at the beginning of the 20th century and ended up meaning really great, not terrible or terror-inducing at all.

What is difference between terrific and terrible?

As adjectives the difference between terrific and terrible is that terrific is (colloquial) frighteningly good while terrible is dreadful; causing alarm and fear.

What is the root word for terrible?

The first records of the word terrible come from the 1400s. It comes from the Latin terribilis, which ultimately derives from the Latin verb terrēre, meaning “to frighten” or “to terrify.” Terrēre is also the basis of terrify, terrifying, terror, and terrific.

What’s the root word of terrific?

terrific (adj.) 1660s, “frightening,” from Latin terrificus “causing terror or fear, frightful,” from terrere “fill with fear” (see terrible) + combining form of facere “to make” (from PIE root *dhe- “to set, put”).

Why is terrific a positive word?

But about 100 years ago, people started using “terrific” to describe POSITIVE events that were thrilling: “a terrific party,” “a terrific performance.” Using this negative term to describe something good seemed to intensify the positive traits, as when teenagers use “bad” and “sick” to mean “great!”

What is terrific person?

adjective. If you describe something or someone as terrific, you are very pleased with them or very impressed by them. [informal]

What does this mean terrible?

extremely bad
Definition of terrible 1 : extremely bad: such as. a : notably unattractive or objectionable terrible behavior. b : of very poor quality a terrible movie. c : strongly repulsive : obnoxious a terrible smell.

What is the opposite of terribly?

Opposite of to a great or extreme degree. little. negligibly. nominally. slightly.

What means terrible?

1 : extremely bad: such as. a : notably unattractive or objectionable terrible behavior. b : of very poor quality a terrible movie. c : strongly repulsive : obnoxious a terrible smell.

What did terrible used to mean?

terrible Add to list Share. The original meaning of terrible was anything that causes terror. That meaning still applies, but mostly this is a word for anything really bad. Terrible used to be reserved for things that caused fear and terror, but today we use the word to describe anything awful, lousy, or just plain bad …

Is terrific a negative word?

Today, we still use “terrific” in this negative, terrifying sense, as when we speak of a “terrific explosion.” But during the 20th century, “terrific” took on an additional, more positive meaning: “unusually fine, magnificent, splendid.”

Did terrific used to mean bad?

What is the difference between terrible and terrific?

Terrible and terrific are both formed off the same root: terror. Both started out a few hundred years ago with the meaning of terror-inducing. But terrific took a strange turn at the beginning of the 20th century and ended up meaning really great, not terrible or terror-inducing at all.

What is the root word of terrific?

2 Answers. Terrific comes from the Latin terrificus (“causing fear”), built from terrere + facere (“make”) (this root of facere is the reason for the suffix -ficus in Latin, -fique in French and thus -fic in English). To go further, terror comes from Old French terreur, from Latin terror, in turn from terrere.

What is the origin of the word ‘terrible’?

Both terrible and terrific go back, through French and Latin to Proto Indo European roots meaning to shiver. The origin is self explanatory: extreme fear being well known to provoke shivering.

What’s the difference between Awesome and terrific?

The fully positive “awesome,” a child of the ’80s, is a relatively recent innovation. It began as slang, with a dash of irony or sarcasm to it. That seems to be the crucial ingredient in these crossover words. The positive “terrific” dates to the slang-heavy flapper era, where “killer” also became a playful positive.