The present invention provides liquid crystalline compounds having a high voltage holding ratio and a low threshold voltage, little variation of these properties with temperature change, high &Dgr;n, and good compatibility with other liquid crystal materials particularly under a low temperature; liquid crystal compositions containing these crystalline compounds; and liquid crystal display devices made using these liquid crystal compositions. The liquid crystalline compounds are terphenyl derivatives represented by general formula (1): wherein R represents a straight or branched alkyl group of 1-20 carbon atoms, and any methylene groups (—CH2—) not adjacent each other in each alkyl group may be replaced by oxygen atoms; X is a halogen atom, —OCF3, —OCF2H, —CF3, —CF2H or —CFH2; Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, Y5 and Y6 independently represents H or F, but at least two of Y1, Y2, Y3 and Y4 represent F; and any atom constituting these compounds may be substituted by its isotope.