Understanding the Meaning of 'Terrific' for English Language Learners

The word terrific is an adjective that is commonly used in English, and it has two primary meanings:

1. Extremely Good or Impressive: In contemporary language, 'terrific' is often used to describe something that is exceptionally good, impressive, or excellent. For example, you might say, 'The concert last night was terrific!' This indicates that the concert was enjoyable and met or exceeded expectations.
2. Causing Terror or Alarm (Historical Use): Historically, 'terrific' originally stemmed from the Latin word 'terrificus', meaning 'causing terror'. This meaning is now largely outdated in everyday usage, but you may still encounter it in literary or formal contexts.

Here’s how to use 'terrific' in a sentence for both meanings:

Modern Use: 'She did a terrific job on her presentation; everyone was impressed.'

Historical Use: 'The horrific storm was terrific in its ferocity.'

To summarize, in today's vernacular, 'terrific' is predominantly used to convey something wonderful or excellent. It's important to understand both meanings to appreciate the word in different contexts.