adjective
- extraordinarily great or intense: terrific speed.
- extremely good; wonderful: a terrific vacation.
- causing terror; terrifying.
adjective
- very great or intensea terrific noise
- informal very good; excellenta terrific singer
- very frightening
adj.1660s, “frightening,” from Latin terrificus “causing terror or fear,” from terrere “fill with fear” (see terrible) + root of facere “to make” (see factitious). Weakened sensed of “very great, severe” (e.g. terrific headache) appeared 1809; colloquial sense of “excellent” began 1888.