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)

1. Extremely or shockingly ugly.
2. 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.

3. Hateful; shocking.
4. 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

1. 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)

1. 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

Translations

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