Definition of "great" in English

adjective

1. Taking much space; large.

2. (informal) Very good; excellent; wonderful; fantastic.

   • Dinner was great.

3. Important, consequential.

   • a great dilemma
   • a great decision

4. (qualifying nouns of family relationship) Involving more generations than the qualified word implies — as many extra generations as repetitions of the word great (from 1510s). [see Derived terms]

   • great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, great-great-great-grandfather

5. (obsolete, postpositive, followed by 'with') Pregnant; large with young; full of.

   • great with child
   • great with hope

6. (obsolete, except with 'friend' and similar words such as 'mate', 'buddy') Intimate; familiar.

7. (applied to actions, thoughts and feelings) Arising from or possessing idealism; admirable; commanding; illustrious; eminent.

   • a great deed
   • a great nature
   • a great history

8. Impressive or striking.

   • a great show of wealth

9. Much in use; favoured.

   • Poetry was a great convention of the Romantic era.

10. (applied to persons) Of much talent or achievements.

    • a great hero, scholar, genius, philosopher, writer, etc.

11. Doing or exemplifying (a characteristic or pursuit) on a large scale; active or enthusiastic.

    • What a great buffoon!
    • He’s not a great one for reading.
    • a great walker

interjection

1. Expression of gladness and content about something.

   • Great! Thanks for the wonderful work.
   • —I am in my new apartment! —Great!

2. A sarcastic inversion thereof.

   • Oh, great! I just dumped all 500 sheets of the manuscript all over and now I have to put them back in order.

noun

1. A person of major significance, accomplishment or acclaim.

   • Newton and Einstein are two of the greats of the history of science.

2. (music) The main division in a pipe organ, usually the loudest division.

3. (in combinations such as "two-greats", "three-greats" etc.) An instance of the word "great" signifying an additional generation in phrases expressing family relationships.