great
great
Pronunciation
/ɡreɪt/
Word Form Variations
Adjective: great, greater, greatest
Noun: great (less common, often in specific phrases like "the greats")
Adverb: greatly
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adjective
Definition 1: Of an extent, amount, or intensity considerably above the average; very large or important.
Synonyms: enormous, massive, significant, substantial
Antonyms: small, tiny, insignificant, minor
Definition 2: Of high quality, ability, or renown; excellent.
Synonyms: excellent, superb, outstanding, magnificent, admirable
Antonyms: terrible, awful, poor, mediocre
Definition 3: Denoting a family relationship one generation removed, especially in a direct line of descent or ascent (e.g., great-grandmother).
Synonyms: (No direct synonyms for this specific usage; it's a qualifier)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for this specific usage)
Definition 4: Used to express approval or enthusiasm.
Synonyms: fantastic, wonderful, splendid, awesome
Antonyms: bad, terrible, awful, dreadful
Adverb
Definition 1: To a very large extent; considerably. (Often used informally)
Synonyms: very, much, extremely, highly
Antonyms: slightly, barely, hardly
Noun
Definition 1: A person who is highly skilled or important in a particular field. (Typically used in the plural, "the greats")
Synonyms: master, expert, luminary, virtuoso
Antonyms: amateur, novice, beginner, mediocrity
Examples of Use
Books:
"It was a great pleasure to me to have the opportunity of going there again." (Charles Dickens, Great Expectations) - Here, "great" signifies a strong, positive feeling.
"The great Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us." (F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby) - In this title, "Great" denotes significance or exceptional status, though ironically applied to a character with flaws.
"You have a great and powerful God who loves you." (C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) - "Great" describes the immense power and benevolence of a deity.
Newspapers:
"Local restaurant wins 'Best Burger' award, calls it a 'great honor.'" (The Daily Herald) - "Great" expresses strong positive sentiment and significance of the award.
"Economists predict a great recovery in the housing market over the next quarter." (The Wall Street Journal) - "Great" indicates a significant or substantial improvement.
"The city council debate on the new infrastructure project sparked great controversy among residents." (The Nairobi Standard) - "Great" emphasizes the intensity and scale of the controversy.
Online Publications:
"Exploring the Great Barrier Reef: A Biodiverse Wonder Under Threat." (National Geographic Online) - "Great" refers to its immense size and importance.
"Why a 'Gap Year' Can Be a Great Investment for Your Future." (Forbes.com) - "Great" suggests a highly beneficial or advantageous investment.
"Top 10 Tips for Making Your Resume Look Great." (LinkedIn Learning Blog) - "Great" here means excellent or highly presentable.
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
"This new Marvel movie has a great storyline and even better special effects!" (Movie review, Rotten Tomatoes) - "Great" describes the excellent quality of the storyline.
"That was a great catch by the outfielder! What a play!" (Sports commentator, ESPN Broadcast) - "Great" expresses admiration for the skill and success of the action.
"I just finished binge-watching 'The Great British Baking Show' – it's so comforting and inspiring!" (Social media post, Twitter/X) - "Great" used in a title to denote quality and popularity.
(From a song lyric) "I've got a great feeling about tonight, yeah, I'm feeling alright." (Song by Black Eyed Peas, "I Gotta Feeling") - "Great" describes a strong positive emotion.
(In a video game) "Congratulations! You achieved a Great Victory!" (In-game notification, Civilization VI) - "Great" signifies a significant and decisive win.
General Public Discourse:
"That was a great idea! We should definitely try that." (Casual conversation among friends) - "Great" expresses approval and enthusiasm for an idea.
"My grandmother is a great cook; her mandazi are legendary." (Family conversation) - "Great" describes high skill and talent.
"It's a great day for a picnic, isn't it?" (Everyday greeting/observation) - "Great" refers to favorable weather conditions.
"He's a great leader who genuinely cares about his community." (Public opinion/discussion) - "Great" denotes admirable qualities and effectiveness in leadership.
"I had a great time at the concert last night." (Personal anecdote) - "Great" expresses a very enjoyable experience.
10 Famous Quotes Using Great
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
"The only way to do great work is to love what you do." (Steve Jobs)
"It always seems impossible until it's done." (Great words often attributed to Nelson Mandela)
"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." (Thomas A. Edison)
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." (Great proverb, often attributed to Lao Tzu)
"The price of greatness is responsibility." (Winston Churchill)
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." (Great sentiment from Martin Luther King Jr.)
"Do one thing every day that scares you." (Great advice from Eleanor Roosevelt)
"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." (Nelson Mandela)
"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do." (Great advertising slogan from Apple Inc., "Think Different" campaign)
Etymology
The word "great" has a long and interesting history, tracing its roots back through the Germanic languages.
Imagine a very old word, grautaz, used by people speaking what's called Proto-Germanic. This was the ancestor language of German, Dutch, English, and the Scandinavian languages. The original idea behind grautaz seems to have been about things being "coarse" or "thick," like coarse-grained sand or something large and rough. Some experts even think it might be linked to an even older root (gʰrewd-) that had to do with "rubbing" or "grinding," which makes sense if you think about coarse grains.
Over time, this word evolved. When it entered Old English (the earliest form of English, spoken before 1150 AD), it became "grēat." At this point, "grēat" had meanings like "big," "tall," "thick," "stout," or "massive." It was also used to mean "coarse," so that original sense of rough texture was still around.
So, the first known use of "great" (in its "grēat" form) was in the Old English period, before 1150 AD. Its primary meaning was about physical size or massiveness. For example, something "great" would have been something physically large.
It's fascinating to note that the modern sense of "great" meaning "excellent" or "wonderful" is actually much newer, only appearing around 1848! For a long time, if you said something was "great," you were generally talking about its size, not its quality.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Great
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "great":
The Great Depression: A severe worldwide economic depression that took place during the 1930s.
The Great Wall of China: A series of fortifications built across the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China.
Great minds think alike: Said when two people have the same idea or come to the same conclusion at the same time.
A great deal of: A large amount of something.
A great white shark: A species of large lamniform shark.
Great expectations: Anticipation of something wonderful or significant, often with a hint of irony or potential disappointment.
To make a great impression: To create a very positive effect on someone.
For crying out loud, that's great! (Informal expression of frustration mixed with positive surprise)
No great shakes: Not very good or impressive.
To great lengths: To an extreme degree; putting in a lot of effort.
Great Scott! (An exclamation of surprise or alarm, often associated with older British English)
The great outdoors: Nature; open-air environments.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of great from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
