terri-

The use of biological agents for terrorism.

The term bioterror is often used loosely to describe nuclear, biological, and/or chemical (NBC) terrorism.

The U.S. government is especially worried about the Big Six bioterrorism threats: anthrax, smallpox, plague, tularemia, botulism toxin, and viral hemorrhagic fevers (like the Ebola virus).

While less well-known than the other diseases, tularemia and botulism toxins could conceivably be aerosolized, causing severe respiratory illness and paralysis, respectively.

A terrorist who uses biological weapons.

Not only water supplies are susceptible to such deliberate contamination; so too is much of the air we breathe.

Skyscrapers, tunnels, subways, and their requisite heating and air-conditioning systems provide targets and also avenues of attack for would-be bioterrorists.

1. The threat to use violent acts that would harm the quality of the environment in order to blackmail a group or society. It also includes the actual carrying out of the threats.
2. The sabotage of the activities of individuals or corporations, e.g., industrial companies, considered to be polluting or destroying the natural environment.

1. Distressing; severe: "It was a terrible winter."
2. Extremely bad; horrible; extreme in extent or degree: "That was a terrible movie."
3. Exciting terror, awe, or great fear; dreadful; awful.
4. Causing great fear or alarm; dreadful: "During the storm there was a terrible bolt of lightning.
5. Formidably great: "She took on a terrible responsibility."

A quality of extreme unpleasantness.

1. In a terrible manner.
2. Informal: Extremely; very: "It's terribly late and I'm terribly sorry, but you will have to go now."
3. To a great extent; very much: "Would you mind terribly if we go home now?

1. Frightful; causing terror; terrifying; very bad or unpleasant.
2. Informal: Causing awe or amazement; extraordinarily great or intense.
3. Extremely good; wonderful: "We had a terrific vacation."

Meaning "frightening", from Latin terrificus, "causing terror or fear", from terrere, "fill with fear" plus root of facere, "to make". Weakened sensed of "very great, severe"; such as, "I have a terrific headache" appeared in 1809. The colloquial sense of "excellent" began about 1888.

To a very high degree or very great extent.

Thrown into a state of intense fear or desperation; panicky, panicked, panic-stricken, panic-struck, extremely frightened.