Definition of 'great'

Word Frequency

great

(greɪt )

Word forms: greater, greatest, greats

1. adjective [ADJ n]

You use great to describe something that is very large. Great is more formal than big.

The room had a great bay window.

Synonyms: large, big, huge, vast More Synonyms of great

2. adjective

Great means large in amount or degree.

Benjamin Britten did not live to a great age.

Synonyms: extreme, considerable, excessive, high More Synonyms of great

3. adjective

You use great to describe something that is important, famous, or exciting.

...the great cultural achievements of the past.

Synonyms: major, lead, leading, chief More Synonyms of great

greatness uncountable noun

A nation must take certain risks to achieve greatness.

Synonyms: strength, force, intensity, high degree More Synonyms of great

Synonyms: grandeur, dignity, majesty, generosity More Synonyms of great

Synonyms: importance, moment, weight, import [formal] More Synonyms of great

Synonyms: immensity, size, mass, length More Synonyms of great

Synonyms: grandeur, glory, majesty, splendour More Synonyms of great

4. adjective

You can describe someone who is successful and famous for their actions, knowledge, or skill as great.

He has the potential to be a great player.

Synonyms: expert, skilled, talented, skilful More Synonyms of great

greatness uncountable noun

Abraham Lincoln achieved greatness.

Synonyms: fame, glory, celebrity, distinction More Synonyms of great

5. plural noun

The greats in a particular subject or field of activity are the people who have been most successful or famous in it.

[journalism]

...all the greats of Hollywood.

6. adjective

If you describe someone or something as great, you approve of them or admire them.

[informal, approval]

Arturo has this great place in Cozumel.

They're a great bunch of guys.

7. adjective [feel ADJ]

If you feel great, you feel very healthy, energetic, and enthusiastic.

I feel just great.

8. adjective

You use great in order to emphasize the size or degree of a characteristic or quality.

[emphasis]

...a great big Italian wedding.

9. exclamation

You say great in order to emphasize that you are pleased or enthusiastic about something.

[feelings]

Oh great! That'll be good for Fred.

More Synonyms of great

Video: pronunciation of
great

great in American English

(greɪt )

adjective

of much more than ordinary size, extent, volume, etc.

; esp.,

designating a thing or group of things larger than others of the same kind

the great cats are tigers, lions, etc.; the Great Lakes

large in number, quantity, etc.; numerous

a great company

long in duration

a great while

much higher in some quality or degree; much above the ordinary or average

; esp.,

existing in a high degree; intense

a great light, great pain

very much of a; acting much as (something specified)

a great reader

eminent; distinguished; illustrious; superior

a great playwright

very impressive or imposing; remarkable

great ceremony

having or showing nobility of mind, purpose, etc.; grand

a great man, great ideas

of most importance; main; chief

the great seal

4. Informal

clever; expert; skillful

usually with at

great at tennis

5. US, Informal

excellent; splendid; fine

6. Chiefly Dialectal

pregnant

: chiefly in great with child

adverb

7. Informal

very well

noun

a great or distinguished person

usually used in pl.

SIMILAR WORDS: large

Idioms:

great on

the great

Derived forms

greatly (ˈgreatly)

adverb

greatness (ˈgreatness)

noun

Word origin

ME grete < OE great, akin to Ger gross, Du groot < IE base *ghrēu-, rub hard over, crumble > grit, Welsh gro, sand: basic sense “coarse, coarsegrained”

Word Frequency

great- in American English

(greɪt )

older (or younger) by one generation

each additional great- shows one further generation removed

great-aunt, great-great-grandson

Word origin

< great, taken as intensifier

Word Frequency

great in American Englishesp collectively

(ɡreit) (adjective -er, -est, noun plural greats, great)

adjective

unusually or comparatively large in size or dimensions

A great fire destroyed nearly half the city

large in number; numerous

Great hordes of tourists descend on Europe each summer

unusual or considerable in degree, power, intensity, etc

great pain

wonderful; first-rate; very good

We had a great time. That's great!

being such in an extreme or notable degree

great friends

a great talker

notable; remarkable; exceptionally outstanding

a great occasion

important; highly significant or consequential

the great issues in American history

distinguished; famous

a great inventor

of noble or lofty character

great thoughts

10.

chief or principal

the great hall

his greatest novel

11.

of high rank, official position, or social standing

a great noble

12.

much in use or favor

“Humor” was a great word with the old physiologists

13.

of extraordinary powers; having unusual merit; very admirable

a great statesman

14.

of considerable duration or length

We waited a great while for the train

15. informal

a. (usually fol. by at, for, or on)

enthusiastic about some specified activity

He's great on reading poetry aloud

b. (usually fol. by at or on)

skillful; expert

He's great at golf

16. (used in combination)

being of one generation more remote from the family relative specified

a great-grandson

17. See great with child

adverb

18. informal

very well

Things have been going great for him

noun

19.

a person who has achieved importance or distinction in a field

She is one of the theater's greats

20.

great persons, collectively

England's literary great

21. (often cap)

greats (used with a sing v) Also called (Brit. informal): great go

the final examination for the bachelor's degree in the classics and mathematics, or Literae Humaniores, esp. at Oxford University and usually for honors

the course of study

the subject studied

interjection

22.

(used to express acceptance, appreciation, approval, admiration, etc.)

23.

(used ironically or facetiously to express disappointment, annoyance, distress, etc.)

Great! We just missed the last train home

Derived forms

greatness

noun

Word origin

[bef. 900; ME greet, OE grēat; c. D groot, G gross]

Word Frequency

great in British English

(ɡreɪt )

adjective

relatively large in size or extent; big

relatively large in number; having many parts or members

a great assembly

of relatively long duration

a great wait

of larger size or more importance than others of its kind

the great auk

extreme or more than usual

great worry

of significant importance or consequence

a great decision

of exceptional talents or achievements; remarkable

a great writer

(as noun)

the great

one of the greats

arising from or possessing idealism in thought, action, etc; heroic

great deeds

illustrious or eminent

a great history

10.

impressive or striking

a great show of wealth

11.

much in use; favoured

poetry was a great convention of the Romantic era

12.

active or enthusiastic

a great walker

13.

doing or exemplifying (a characteristic or pursuit) on a large scale

what a great buffoon

he's not a great one for reading

14. (often foll by at)

skilful or adroit

a great carpenter

you are great at singing

15. informal

excellent; fantastic

16. British informal

( intensifier)

a dirty great big lie

17. (postpositive; foll by with) archaic

pregnant

great with child

full (of)

great with hope

18.

(intensifier, used in mild oaths)

Great Scott!

19. See be great on

adverb

20. informal

very well; excellently

it was working great

noun

21. Also called: great organ

the principal manual on an organ

Compare choir (sense 4), swell (sense 16)

Derived forms

greatly (ˈgreatly)

adverb

greatness (ˈgreatness)

noun

Word origin

Old English grēat; related to Old Frisian grāt, Old High German grōz; see grit, groat

Word Frequency

great- in British English

prefix

being the parent of a person's grandparent (in the combinations great-grandfather, great-grandmother, great-grandparent)

being the child of a person's grandchild (in the combinations great-grandson, great-granddaughter, great-grandchild)

Examples of 'great' in a sentence
great

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

And it does not get a great deal worse than this.Social media is great but people voice their opinions in the wrong way sometimes.It was my first time but she made me feel great. Jumping in the ocean is one of the great joys in my life.While they are big in area, many of the great modern reservoirs can be disappointing for birds.The controls clearly show which speed is suitable for which task, with a great number and variety of options.Let's go make something great!IT has been a sad year for music with many all-time greats passing away.He said: 'It was a great day.She said:'I will say it is great to have a woman in charge of the country.