tremendo

tremendous

adjective treh-MEN-doh Rare

Origin: From Latin tremendus ('to be feared, dreadful').

Also means

enormous, terrible

Usage Note

Tremendo has shifted from its Latin sense of 'terrifying' to primarily meaning 'huge' or 'extraordinary' in modern Spanish — un tremendo éxito means 'a tremendous success' with no negative connotation. It can still carry negative weight in context (tremendo error, 'a terrible mistake'). Used informally as an intensifier: ¡Es tremendo! means 'He's something else!'

Examples

"Fue un tremendo esfuerzo para todos."

Natural Translation

It was a tremendous effort for everyone.

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