noun
bulk
buhlk
noun
1
The overall size, volume, or mass of something, especially when large.
"The sheer bulk of the cargo ship dwarfed the harbour."
2
The main or largest part of something.
"The bulk of the work is already finished."
"The bulk of the audience left before the encore."
3
Goods transported or sold in large, unpackaged quantities rather than individually.
"The warehouse buys rice and flour in bulk to cut costs."
verb
1
To deliberately gain muscle and body weight through diet and training.
"He's bulking before the next competition, then he'll cut down again."
How to Use Bulk
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe overall size or mass of something, the main part of something, or goods in large unpackaged quantities.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
the bulk of
buy in bulk
bulk up
Word Forms
bulked past tense, bulks plural, bulks singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “bulk”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The sheer _____ of the cargo ship dwarfed the harbour.
Etymology
From Old Norse búlki, "the cargo of a ship," related to a Germanic root meaning "heap" or "pile."