Definition of 'big'
Word forms: comparative bigger
, superlative biggest
3. adjective
If you describe something such as a problem, increase, or change as a big one, you mean it is great in degree, extent, or importance.
5. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
8. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
9. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
[informal]
10.
See make it big
11.
See to think big
12.
See in a big way
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
big in British English 1
adjectiveWord forms: bigger, biggest
1.
of great or considerable size, height, weight, number, power, or capacity
10.
(of wine) full-bodied, with a strong aroma and flavour
11. See too big for one's boots
12.
in an advanced stage of pregnancy (esp in the phrase big with child)
13. See big on
adverb informal
14.
boastfully; pretentiously (esp in the phrase talk big)
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C13: perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compare Norwegian dialect bugge big man
Word Frequency
big in American English
adjectiveWord forms: ˈbigger or ˈbiggest
1.
a.
of great size, extent, or capacity; large
b.
great in amount or quantity
c.
great in force or intensity
a big wind
2.
a.
full-grown
b.
elder
his big sister
4.
5.
b.
very well known; famous
c.
popular; very well liked
adverbWord forms: ˈbigger or ˈbiggest Informal
8.
pompously; boastfully; extravagantly
to talk big
9.
impressively
SIMILAR WORDS: large
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
bigness (ˈbigness)
noun
Word Frequency
big in American English 1
(bɪɡ) (adjective bigger, biggest)
adjective
3.
outstanding for a specified quality
a big liar
a big success
6.
elder
my big sister
7.
doing business or conducted on a large scale; major in size or importance
big government
8.
consisting of the largest or most influential companies in an industry
Big steel wants to lower prices, but the smaller mills don't
9. informal
known or used widely; popular
Nouvelle cuisine became big in the 1970s
13. (of clothing or a clothing design)
made of or distinguished by voluminous fabric that is loosely or softly shaped and fitted
a big shirt
the big look
15.
filled; brimming
eyes big with tears
18. See be big on
19. See big with child
adverb
SYNONYMS 1. huge, immense; bulky, massive; capacious, voluminous; extensive. See great. 4. consequential. 15. overflowing, flooded.ANTONYMS 1. little.20. informal
boastfully; pretentiously
to act big
to talk big
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
biggish adjective
bigly
adverb
Word origin
[1250–1300; ME big(ge) ‹ ?]Word Frequency
big in American English 2
(bɪɡ)
transitive verbWord forms: bigged, bigging
Brit dialect
to build
Also: biggMost material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1150–1200; ME biggen orig., to inhabit ‹ ON byggja to inhabit, c. OE bū(i)an, G bauen]Word Frequency
big in American English 3
(bɪɡ)
noun
Scot & Northern English bigg1
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Examples of 'big' in a sentence
big
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Quotations
The bigger they come, the harder they fall
Trends of
big
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In other languages
big
British English: big
/bɪɡ/ ADJECTIVE
A person or thing that is big is large in size.
She lives in a big house.
- American English: big /ˈbɪg/
- Arabic: كَبِير
- Brazilian Portuguese: grande
- Chinese: 大的
- Croatian: velik
- Czech: velký
- Danish: stor
- Dutch: groot
- European Spanish: grande
- Finnish: iso
- French: grand taille
- German: groß
- Greek: μεγάλος
- Italian: grande
- Japanese: 大きい
- Korean: 큰
- Norwegian: stor
- Polish: duży
- European Portuguese: grande
- Romanian: mare
- Russian: большой
- Latin American Spanish: grande
- Swedish: stor
- Thai: ใหญ่
- Turkish: büyük
- Ukrainian: великий
- Vietnamese: to lớn
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Definition of big from the Collins English Dictionary
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