adj
great
GRAYT
adj
1
Very large in size, extent, or degree.
"They crossed a great expanse of desert before reaching the coast."
"There was a great crowd waiting outside the stadium."
2
Excellent or very good.
"That was a great meal, thank you."
"She did a great job organising the event."
3
Important or highly significant.
"Winston Churchill is remembered as one of the great leaders of the 20th century."
4
Used before "grand-" to add an extra generation of family relationship.
"My great-grandmother emigrated from Poland in 1920."
How to Use Great
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBig, excellent, or important, depending on context — one of the most flexible words in English.
Common pairings
a great deal
great news
great-grandfather
great success
Word Forms
greater comparative, greats plural, greatest superlative
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They crossed a _____ expanse of desert before reaching the coast.
Etymology
From Old English grēat, meaning "big, thick, coarse" — related to modern German gross and Dutch groot.