tremendous

From Latin tremendus (“fearful, terrible”), gerundive of tremō (“to tremble”), + -ous.

• IPA^(key): /tɹɪˈmɛndəs/
• (weak vowel merger) IPA^(key): /tɹəˈmɛndəs/
• Rhymes: -ɛndəs
• Hyphenation: tre‧men‧dous

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tremendous (comparative more tremendous, superlative most tremendous)

1. Awe-inspiring; terrific.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling:

     This she spoke with so commanding an air, standing with her back to the fire, with one hand behind her, and a pinch of snuff in the other, that I question whether Thalestris, at the head of her Amazons, ever made a more tremendous figure.

2. Notable for its size, power, or excellence.

   Van Beethoven's ninth symphony is a tremendous piece of music.

3. Extremely large (in amount, extent, degree, etc.) or great

   There was a tremendous outpouring of support.

   • 1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, page 113:

     The tremendous tragedy in which he had been involved - it was evident he was a fugitive from Weybridge - had driven him to the very verge of his reason.

• See also Thesaurus:large

• tremendously
• tremendousness

One of four common words ending in -dous, which are hazardous, horrendous, stupendous, and tremendous.[1]