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horrific

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hor⋅rif⋅ic

[haw-rif-ik, ho-]
–adjective
causing horror.

Origin:
1645–55; < L horrificus, equiv. to horri- (comb. form of horrēre to bristle with fear) + -ficus -fic


hor⋅rif⋅i⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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hor·rif·ic   (hô-rĭf'ĭk, hŏ-)   
adj.  Causing horror; terrifying.

[Latin horrificus : horrēre, to tremble + -ficus, -fic.]
hor·rif'i·cal·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

horrific 
"causing horror," 1653, from L. horrificus "terrible, dreadful," lit. "making the hair stand on end," from horrere "to bristle, to stand on end" (see horror) + -ficus, from stem of facere "to make, do" (see factitious).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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