Etymology[edit]

From Middle English greet (“great, large”), from Old English grēat (“big, thick, coarse, stour, massive”),
from Proto-Germanic *grautaz (“big in size, coarse, coarse grained”), from Proto-Indo-European
*gʰrewd-, *gʰer- (“to rub, grind, remove”). Cognate with Scots great (“coarse in grain or texture, thick,
great”), West Frisian grut (“large, great”), Dutch groot (“large, stour”), German groß (“large”), Old
English grēot (“earth, sand, grit”), Latin grandis (“great, big”), Albanian ngre (“I lift, heave, stand,
elevate”). Related to grit.

Pronunciation[edit]

enPR: grāt, IPA(key): /ɡɹeɪt/

Audio (US)

MENU0:00

Rhymes: -eɪt

Homophone: grate

Adjective[edit]

great (comparative greater, superlative greatest)

Very big, large scale. quotations ▼

A great storm is approaching our shores.

Very good. quotations ▼

Dinner was great.

Important. quotations ▼

Title referring to an important leader.

Alexander the Great

Superior; admirable; commanding; applied to thoughts, actions, and feelings.

a great nature

Endowed with extraordinary powers; uncommonly gifted; able to accomplish vast results; strong;
powerful; mighty; noble.
a great hero, scholar, genius, philosopher, etc.

(obsolete) Pregnant; large with young. quotations ▼

More than ordinary in degree; very considerable. quotations ▼

to use great caution; to be in great pain

[qualifying nouns of family relationship] Involving more generations than the word qualified implies.
[see Derived terms]

(obsolete, except with 'friend' and similar words such as 'mate','buddy') Intimate; familiar. quotations ▼

Usage notes[edit]

In simple situations, using modifiers of intensity such as fairly, somewhat, etc. can lead to an awkward
construction, with the exception of certain common expressions such as “so great” and “really great”. In
particular “very great” is unusually strong as a reaction, and in many cases “great” or its meaning of
“very good” will suffice.

Synonyms[edit]

See also Thesaurus:large

See also Thesaurus:excellent

Antonyms[edit]

(very big, large scale): tiny

(uncommonly gifted): mediocre, ordinary

Derived terms[edit]

show ▼Terms derived from great

Translations[edit]

±show ▼very big, large scale

±show ▼very good

±show ▼uncommonly gifted

important — see important

±show ▼important title

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables,
removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at
Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

show ▼Translations to be checked

Interjection[edit]

great

Expression of gladness and content about something.

Great! Thanks for the wonderful work.

sarcastic inversion thereof.

Oh, great! I just dumped all 500 sheets of the manuscript all over and now I have to put them back in
order.

Translations[edit]

±show ▼great!

Noun[edit]

great (plural greats)

A person of major significance, accomplishment or acclaim.

Newton and Einstein are two of the greats of the history of science.

(music) The main division in a pipe organ, usually the loudest division.

Antonyms[edit]

(person of major significance, accomplishment or acclaim): mediocre

Translations[edit]

±show ▼person of major significance, accomplishment or acclaim

Adverb[edit]

great (not comparable)

very well (in a very satisfactory manner)

Those mechanical colored pencils work great because they don't have to be sharpened.

Translations[edit]

±show ▼very well

Anagrams[edit]

'Gater, Greta, ergat-, grate, retag, targe, terga

Old English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Germanic *grautaz (“big in size, coarse, coarse grained”), from Proto-Indo-European
*ghrewə- (“to fell, put down, fall in”). Cognate with Old Saxon grōt (“large, thick, coarse, stour”), Old
High German grōz (“large, thick, coarse”), Old English grot (“particle”). More at groat.

Pronunciation[edit]

IPA(key): /ˈɡræːɑt/

Adjective[edit]

grēat

great, massive

tall

thick; stout

coarse

Declension[edit]

show ▼Declension of great — Strong

show ▼Declension of great — Weak

Derived terms[edit]

grēatnes
Descendants[edit]

Middle English: greet

English: great

Scots: great

Scots[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

greet

Etymology[edit]

From Old English grēat, from Proto-Germanic *grautaz.

Pronunciation[edit]

IPA(key): [ɡrɛt], [ɡrɪt]

(North Northern Scots) IPA(key): [ɡrit]

Adjective[edit]

great (comparative greater, superlative greatest)

great

coarse (in grain or texture)

(of things) thick, bulky, roomy

(of people) big, stout

(of a river) swollen with rain, in flood

(of the sea) high, stormy

intimate, friendly

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