Large

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /lɑːdÊ’/
• US IPA: /lɑɹdÊ’/
• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)dÊ’

Origin

From Middle English large, from Old French large, from Latin larga, feminine of largus ("abundant, plentiful, copious, large, much"). Mostly displaced Middle English stoor, stour ("large, great") (from Old English stōr) and muchel ("large, great") (from Old English myċel).

Full definition of large

Adjective

1. Of considerable or relatively great size or extent.
• 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 2, We drove back to the office with some concern on my part at the prospect of so large a case. Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke.
2. Russia is a large country.   The fruit-fly has large eyes for its body size.   He has a large collection of stamps.
3. (obsolete) Abundant; ample.
• MiltonWe have yet large day.
4. (archaic) Full in statement; diffuse; profuse.
• FeltonI might be very large upon the importance and advantages of education.
5. (obsolete) Free; unencumbered.
• FairfaxOf burdens all he set the Paynims large.
6. (obsolete) Unrestrained by decorum; said of language.
• ShakespeareSome large jests he will make.
7. (nautical) Crossing the line of a ship's course in a favorable direction; said of the wind when it is abeam, or between the beam and the quarter.

Synonyms

• big, huge, giant, gigantic, enormous, stour, great, mickle, largeish

Antonyms

• small, tiny, minuscule

Derived terms

• as large as life, larger than life
• by and large
• enlarge
• largely
• largeness
• writ large
• largish

Noun