LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
adjectivethird-declension two-termination adjective

terribilis

terribilis (neuter terribile, comparative terribilior, adverb terribiliter)
Classical[tɛrˈrɪ.bɪ.lɪs]Ecclesiastical[terˈriː.bi.lis]
Mille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. two terminationfrightful, dreadful, terrible, horrible

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

quī terret.
terribilis -e — in Mille Verba, Theātrum

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativeterribilisterribilisterribile
genitiveterribilisterribilisterribilis
dativeterribilīterribilīterribilī
accusativeterribilemterribilemterribile
ablativeterribilīterribilīterribilī
vocativeterribilisterribilisterribile
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativeterribilēsterribilēsterribilia
genitiveterribiliumterribiliumterribilium
dativeterribilibusterribilibusterribilibus
accusativeterribilīs
terribilēs		terribilīs
terribilēs		terribilia
ablativeterribilibusterribilibusterribilibus
vocativeterribilēsterribilēsterribilia

terrĭbĭlis, e, adj. terreo,
I. frightful, dreadful, terrible (class.; syn.: dirus, horribilis, torvus).
I. Lit.: quam terribilis aspectu! Cic. Sest. 8, 19; cf.: jam ipsi urbi terribilis erat, Liv. 44, 10, 6: furiis accensus et irā terribilis, Verg. A. 12, 947: terribilis cunctis et invisus, Suet. Dom. 12: noverca, Ov. M. 1, 147: fera, id. H. 9, 34: tyrannus affatu, Stat. S. 3, 3, 73: visu formae, Verg. A. 6, 277: vultus, Ov. M. 1, 265: squalor Charontis, Verg. A. 6, 299; cf.: incultu, tenebris, odore foeda atque terribilis ejus (carceris) facies est, Sall. C. 55, 4: at tuba terribili sonitu taratantara dixit, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 842 P. (Ann. v. 452 Vahl.): sonitus, Lucr. 6, 155: tumultus, Enn. ap. Fest. p. 153 Müll. (Ann. v. 311 Vahl.): caligo, Lucr. 6, 852: mors, Cic. Par. 2, 18: horror, Quint. 11, 3, 160: exspectatio adventūs Jubae, Suet. Caes. 66. — Comp.: cujus (viri) virtute terribilior erat populus Romanus exteris gentibus, Cic. Phil. 2, 26, 65: cum alia aliis terribiliora afferentur, Liv. 4, 26, 7: majora ac terribiliora afferre, id. 25, 29, 3.—
II. Transf., demanding reverence, venerable (late Lat.): scripturae, Cod. Just. 3, 1, 13.—Sup. seems not to occur.—Adv.: terrĭbĭlĭter, fearfully, dreadfully, terribly (late Lat.): sonus caeli terribiliter concrepantis, Arn. 2, 57: admonere, Aug. Conf. 12, 25: Vulg. Psa. 138, 14.—Comp. and sup. seem not to occur.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*tres-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*troséyeti
  3. Proto-Italic*trozeō
  4. Latinterribilis

Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Italic *-ðlom Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin terribilis From terreō (“to frighten, terrify, alarm; to deter by terror, scare (away)”) + -bilis.

Descendants
  • Catalanterrible
  • Italianterribile
  • Frenchterriblefrom Old French terrible
  • Romanianteribilfrom Old French terrible
  • Englishterriblefrom Old French terrible
  • Portugueseterrível
  • Spanishterrible
  • Piedmonteseterìbil
  • Chavacanoterriblefrom Spanish terrible

In English words that came into English from terribilis

  • terribleterribilis

Quick answers

What does terribilis mean in Latin?
terribilis, a adjective, means “frightful, dreadful, terrible, horrible”.
How do you pronounce terribilis?
In classical Latin, [tɛrˈrɪ.bɪ.lɪs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [terˈriː.bi.lis].
Where does terribilis come from?
Proto-Indo-European *tres- → Proto-Indo-European *troséyeti → Proto-Italic *trozeō → Latin terribilis.