hideous vs horrific what difference
what is difference between hideous and horrific
English
Etymology
From Middle English hidous, from Anglo-Norman hidous, from Old French hideus, hydus (“that which inspires terror”), from earlier hisdos, from Old French hisda (“horror, fear”), of uncertain and disputed origin. Probably from Proto-West Germanic *agisiþu (“horror, terror”), from Proto-West Germanic *agisōn (“to frighten, terrorise”), from Proto-Germanic *agaz (“terror, fear”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂egʰ- (“to frighten”). Cognate with Old High German egisa, egidī (“horror”), Old English egesa (“fear, dread”), Gothic ???????????????? (agis, “fear, terror”).
Alternative etymology cites possible derivation from Latin hispidosus (“rugged”), from hispidus (“rough, bristly”), yet the semantic evolution is less plausible.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈhɪd.iː.ʌs/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈhɪd.i.əs/
Adjective
hideous (comparative more hideous, superlative most hideous)
- Extremely or shockingly ugly.
- Having a very unpleasant or frightening sound
- 1719, Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe
- He started up, growling at first, but finding his leg broken, fell down again; and then got upon three legs, and gave the most hideous roar that ever I heard.
- 1719, Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe
- Hateful; shocking.
- Morally offensive; shocking; detestable.
Usage notes
- Nouns to which “hideous” is often applied: monster, creature, man, woman, face, thing, crime, form, death, aspect, spectacle, picture, roar, sound, manner, way, disease, mistake, shape, dress, fact, act, smile.
Synonyms
- frightful, ghastly, grim, grisly, grotesque, horrid, dreadful, terrible
Derived terms
- hideosity
- hideously
- hideousness
Translations
Middle English
Adjective
hideous
- Alternative form of hidous (“terrifying”)
English
Alternative forms
- horrifick (obsolete)
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin horrificus, from horreō (“to be afraid”) + -ficō (“to make”).
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /həˈɹɪfɪk/, /hɔˈɹɪfɪk/, /hɑˈɹɪfɪk/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /həˈɹɪfɪk/, /hɒˈɹɪfɪk/
- (General New Zealand) IPA(key): /hɘˈɹɘfɘk/, /hɔˈɹɘfɘk/
- Rhymes: -ɪfɪk
Adjective
horrific (comparative more horrific, superlative most horrific)
- Horrifying, causing horror; horrible.
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:frightening
Usage notes
- Like many terms that start with a non-silent h but have emphasis on their second syllable, some people precede horrific with an, others with a.
Related terms
- horrible
- horrifical
- horrification
- horrify
- horror
- horrendous