enormous
Definitions
Extremely large in size, amount, or degree
巨大的，庞大的；极大的
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedex- (out of) + norm (norma, the carpenter's square) + -ous = 'out of the square,' beyond all normal measure. (The ex- shrinks to e- before n.) Originally 'beyond the bounds, irregular,' it narrowed to the size sense: so far past the normal scale that it's huge.
Root norm still carries 24 more wordsWhy It Means This
Enormous and enormity were born from the same image — ex- + norma, 'stepping outside the carpenter's square,' i.e. outside the bounds. Early on the word carried a moral charge ('monstrous, outrageous'). Over time enormous shed that moral sense entirely and kept only the magnitude: today it is purely about size or amount, with no hint of evil. Its sibling enormity went the other way and kept the moral branch.
Example Sentences
- 1.
They spent an enormous amount of money renovating the old house.
- 2.
The whale is an enormous creature, larger than any dinosaur.
- 3.
Winning the scholarship was an enormous relief for the whole family.
Synonym Comparison
- enormous — far beyond normal size/amount; common, neutral
- huge — the everyday word for very large; most informal
- immense — vast, hard to measure; slightly more formal/literary
- massive — emphasizes heavy bulk or solidity; also figurative (a massive effort)
- vast — huge in extent or area, especially space (a vast desert)