tremendous /trəˈmendəs/

adj.

Origin

From Latin tremendus ("fearful, terrible"), from tremere ("to tremble")

Meanings

1. Very great in amount, size, or intensity

   • "The earthquake caused tremendous damage to the city."
   • "She showed tremendous courage during the crisis."

2. Extraordinarily good or excellent

   • "The new restaurant received tremendous reviews."
   • "The team made a tremendous effort to meet the deadline."

Word Forms

• Adverb: tremendously
• Noun: tremendousness

Synonyms

• enormous
• huge
• immense
• magnificent
• extraordinary
• remarkable
• fantastic

Memory Tricks

1. Break it down: tre-MEN-dous
   • Think of "THREE MEN" who are so huge (dous) they can lift anything
2. Contains "trend" - something tremendous often sets a trend
3. Sound connection: The "trem-" beginning relates to "tremble" - something so big it makes you tremble

Usage Notes

• Often used with positive connotations in modern English, despite its original meaning relating to fear
• Commonly paired with abstract nouns like "success," "progress," "impact"
• Frequently used in informal speech as an enthusiastic expression of approval