massive

¹

[mas-iv]

adjective

1. consisting of or forming a large mass; bulky and heavy.

   massive columns.

2. large and heavy-looking.

   a massive forehead.

3. large in scale, amount, or degree.

   a massive breakdown in communications;

   massive reductions in spending.

4. solid or substantial; great or imposing.

   massive erudition.

5. Mineralogy.,  having no outward crystal form, although sometimes crystalline in internal structure.

Massive

²

[mas-iv]

noun

1. Mount, a mountain in central Colorado, in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains: second highest in U.S. Rockies. 14,421 feet (4,396 meters).

massive

/ ˈmæsɪv /

adjective

1. (of objects) large in mass; bulky, heavy, and usually solid

2. impressive or imposing in quality, degree, or scope

   massive grief

3. relatively intensive or large; considerable

   a massive dose

4. pathol affecting a large area of the body

   a massive cancer

5. geology

   1. (of igneous rocks) having no stratification, cleavage, etc; homogeneous

   2. (of sedimentary rocks) arranged in thick poorly defined strata

6. mineralogy without obvious crystalline structure

noun

1. slang,  a group of friends or associates; gang

   the Staines massive

Other Word Forms

• massively adverb
• massiveness noun
• massivity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of massive¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English ( mass, -ive ); replacing Middle English massif, from Middle French

Word History and Origins

Origin of massive¹

C15: from French massif, from masse _mass

Example Sentences

Congress can consider an immediate cap on debit and credit-card swipe fees — a massive burden on most businesses, particularly small and family-owned ones.

Read more on MarketWatch

Kilpatrick, a research assistant professor at Northwestern’s Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics, is an expert on the life cycles of massive stars.

Read more on Science Daily

The prosecutor told the court Dogan had been "unwilling to take responsibility" for a "massive act of destruction of a woman" that had denied her humanity.

Read more on BBC

Steyer founded a hedge fund whose investments included massive fossil fuel projects, but after he learned of the environmental consequences of these financial decisions, he divested and has worked to fight climate change.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It’s now on the front lines of this massive war against our social safety net.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• big 
• colossal 
• enormous 
• extensive 
• gargantuan 
• gigantic 
• grand 
• great 
• heavy 
• hefty 
• huge 
• immense 
• imposing 
• impressive 
• mammoth 
• monumental 
• substantial 
• towering 
• tremendous 
• vast