Etymology Map
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Terrible

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means extremely bad or serious

Where does the word "terrible" come from? It comes from Latin terribilis, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
terribilis
Latin · ancient
"frightful"
from 'terrere', to frighten
2
Stage 2 of 3
terrible
Old French · medieval
"frightful"
Ivan IV of Russia is known in English as 'Ivan the Terrible'
3
Stage 3 of 3
terrible
English · 1400s
"causing terror"
the weakened sense 'very bad' dates from the 1800s
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Read the full story

Terrible’s story begins in Latin: terribilis meant “frightful.” From 'terrere', to frighten. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as terrible. Ivan IV of Russia is known in English as 'Ivan the Terrible'. It reached English by 1400s as terrible. The weakened sense 'very bad' dates from the 1800s. Today, terrible means extremely bad or serious.