təˈrifik, -fēk adjective
Etymology: Latin terrificus, from terrēre to frighten + -i- + -ficus -fic — more at terror
1.
a. : exciting fear or awe : terrible , terrifying
the terrific destruction … visited upon the country — I.M.Price
terrific , serrated outcrops of naked rock — Douglas Carruthers
b. : very bad : awful , frightful
might well have passed at three hearts … with his terrific distribution — Springfield (Massachusetts) Daily News
covering up a terrific literary scandal for one of his clients — Robert Cantwell
2.
a. : of an extraordinary nature : astounding , tremendous
can read the most involved books at the terrific rate of 600 pages a day — Bernard Eaton
the terrific heat exploded ammunition in the wing guns — O.O.Jensen
b. : exceptionally strong or violent : powerful , severe
punched him … in the stomach, short terrific jabs — Raymond Chandler
sad to see … the damage done by this terrific winter — Georgina Grahame
the impact of thirty million aliens is a terrific test of any culture — G.W.Johnson
3. : unusually fine or gratifying : exciting admiration or enthusiasm : magnificent , marvelous
a terrific view … all the way to the Black Mountains of Wales, some fifty miles distant — Richard Joseph
told him that the piece would be a great success in the concert hall and terrific on records — Moses Smith
Synonyms: see fearful