terribiles

Terribiles is a Latin term used as the plural form of the adjective terribilis, which means “terrible” or “fearsome.” In Latin, adjectives agree with the nouns they modify in gender, number, and case; terribilis can appear in several plural forms depending on the noun it describes, with terribiles commonly representing a plural masculine or mixed subject in the nominative, and terribilia representing the neuter plural.

Origin and meaning: The adjective terribilis derives from the root terreo or terr-, meaning to frighten, combined with the suffix -bilis, indicating “able to be.” The overall sense is something capable of causing terror or awe.

Usage in Latin literature: Terribilis and its plural forms occur in ancient texts to describe people, events, or things judged to be fearsome or formidable. It can convey menace, awe, or severity in descriptions of armies, omens, or natural phenomena.

Modern usage: Outside Latin studies, the form terribiles is rarely used in contemporary English, but it appears in discussions of Latin grammar and in works that adopt classical diction. It can also be encountered as a fictional name or title in modern storytelling that seeks a classical flavor.