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great

great

55 5.9
A person famous for important achievements in a field
  • noun
  • /ɡreɪt/
translation icon : grande
  • Albert Einstein is considered one of the great scientists in history for his contributions to physics.
  • such greats
  • Alexander the Great
  • Catherine the Great

Examples

  • Because Ted Williams, whom I believe is one of the all-time greats, is also a world-class angler.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Pretty soon he'll be joining the greats like Cagney and Tracy.

  • Now, this is a great man, Jimmy Stewart.

  • But he, I think, was one of the great thinkers of the age.

  • David Lynch, You know, the great film maker David Lynch?

  • A brother was one of the greats.

  • I've lived long enough to see some of the greats play.

  • Caesarea was built by Herod the Great in honor of Caesarea Augustus, ruler of the Roman Empire.

    Academic text (2005)
  • I know you haven't heard of him, but trust me, Vyvyan Ayrs is one of the musical greats, Sixsmith.

  • In sports, Michael Jordan is regarded as one of the greats of basketball, inspiring many players.

Synonyms

legend
vsgreat
256 3.5

A very famous person admired for great achievements

is honored and recognized for achievements beyond fame
giant
vsgreat
126 4.0

A very important and influential person in a field

is honored and distinguished for specific achievements
eminence
vsgreat
  • Formal
52 7.4

A very respected person in a field who is often an expert

is honored for achievements rather than holding rank
famous person
vsgreat
50 1.0

A person many people know because of their achievements

is formally honored and distinguished for achievements beyond popularity
laureate
vsgreat
38 7.6

A person who receives a special honor for great achievements, often in arts, literature or science

is honored broadly for achievements beyond formal prizes
notable
vsgreat
5 4.1

A person who is well known and admired

is formally honored and publicly recognized for achievements
somebody
vsgreat
1 2.5

An important person who is well known in a field

is honored for achievements rather than general importance
legend in one's own lifetime
vsgreat
  • Informal
1 7.2

A person who is very famous and admired while still alive

is honored across a field rather than only admired during life
best
vsgreat
1.0

A person who is better than all others in a group

is honored for achievements rather than ranking highest

Antonyms

683 1.0

Normal and not special or unusual

629 2.3

Not known or named, often with no name given

Idioms

449 1.8

A large amount or a big saving when buying something

354 1.8

Shows that something is done a lot

Try very hard to make something happen

To a large degree

6 5.2

Make a lot of effort and be careful about small details

the great unwashed
  • Offensive
3 8.8

Ordinary people who richer, more powerful people often talk about in a rude way

great on paper
  • Informal
2 6.4

Looks very good on paper but does not work in real life

1 9.9

A woman who is near the time to have a baby

1 7.5

People in society who are important, respected, and have power

Small regular efforts lead to big results over time

9.9

A short phrase showing surprise or disbelief

9.9

A short shout that shows surprise or strong excitement

Say this when two people have the same smart idea, as a joke

With much hurry and disorder

A joking idea that deleted digital files are gone forever

Compounds

677 1.6

A large amount of something, for example patience or money

great job
  • Informal
284 1.0

To praise someone for doing a task well

A severe world economic crisis in the 1930s that caused mass unemployment

76 1.1

An island in northwest Europe that includes England, Scotland, and Wales often used to mean the United Kingdom

A man who is the father of your grandparent

A woman who is the mother of your grandparent

39 1.4

A group of people who work well together to succeed

28 1.8

A good offer that saves you money when buying

28 3.0

A sister of one of your grandparents

24 2.1

A group of five large fresh water lakes between the United States and Canada

24 2.3

A brother of one of your grandparents

21 2.8

A high level of attention and caution that helps avoid damage or mistakes

21 4.9

A country that can affect events around the world

A long time spent doing something

A child of your grandson or granddaughter

16 3.5

A very long ancient wall across northern China built to stop invaders

A person who is the parent of your grandparent

14 4.2

A war in Europe from 1914 to 1918 between the Allies and Central Powers

A very large sea fish with a white belly that sometimes attacks people

10 3.1

A large flat area of grassland in central North America from Canada to Texas

9 2.6

A very large dog with short smooth fur that is strong and very tall

9 4.2

A lot of careful effort to do something well

A son of your grandson or granddaughter

8 5.1

A very large room in a castle or large house where people eat and have large gatherings

A very long old wall in northern China built to stop attacks

A very large coral reef system off the northeast coast of Australia

A daughter of your grandchild

A very large ancient Egyptian tomb for Pharaoh Khufu at Giza with a square base and four triangle-shaped sides

5 3.4

A large animal like a gorilla or orangutan with no tail and closely related to humans

5 9.9

A country, group or company that people insult by calling it the main enemy

4 4.0

Much importance that affects a decision or result

A big public show and excitement around an event

A large shallow lake in northwestern Utah with very salty water

A part of Broadway in New York City with bright lights and many theaters

3 3.2

A son of your niece or nephew

2 6.8

A high mountain line that divides rivers flowing to the Pacific from those flowing to the Atlantic and Arctic oceans

A place people imagine where they go after they die

Great Mother
  • Literature
2 9.9

An ancient Phrygian goddess worshipped for nature and fertility, often shown with lions

great seal
  • Formal
2 7.5

An official stamp used by a government to show that a document is genuine

2 4.7

A daughter of your niece or nephew

1 4.6

A large bird with blue-grey feathers, long legs and a long neck that lives near water

1 4.0

A large owl with ear tufts and brown and white feathers found in North America

Great Russian
  • Archaic
1 9.9

An old word for a person from the main group of people in the western part of Russia

A mountain range on the border between North Carolina and Tennessee with mist and many plants and animals

1 8.4

A person expected to bring success where others failed

Great Wall
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A huge group of galaxies that looks like a long wall in space

great year
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A very long period of about 25,800 years for Earth's axis to slowly turn once

great circle
  • Specialized
1 5.8

A circle on a globe made when a flat surface passes through the center

1 5.9

A very strong, excited feeling that makes people act

A very large ancient Egyptian tomb in Giza built for the king Khufu about 2600 BC

A man who rules England, Scotland, and Wales as their king

A British TV show where amateur bakers compete in weekly baking challenges

Great Attractor
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A very large group of galaxies that pulls other galaxies with strong gravity

A large fast tropical fish with sharp teeth that hunts other fish

A long mountain range along Australia's east coast from Queensland to Victoria

1 9.9

A period from 1378 to 1417 when rival popes in Rome and Avignon split the Catholic Church

An official seal used to show a United States government document is real

A mass political movement led by Mao in China from 1966 to 1976 that attacks intellectuals and causes widespread violence

A large white dog with thick fur that guards sheep from wild animals

A national park in the southeastern United States covering Tennessee and North Carolina with high mountains and many wild animals

The official name of the country in northwest Europe made of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

9.9

A size of printed letters equal to 36 points used for large headings

A French king who ruled a long time and made France powerful in Europe

A king who ruled Britain and Ireland from 1727 to 1760 and also ruled Hanover

great adductor muscle
  • Specialized
8.0

A large inner thigh muscle that pulls the leg toward the middle of the body and moves it backward

A large furry animal from South America with a long snout and tongue that eats ants

A large shark with a blue back and white belly that lives in the open sea and can be dangerous

great bowerbird
  • Australian
9.9

A large bird from northern Australia that builds decorated structures with shells and shiny objects to attract a mate

8.3

A large plant with broad heart-shaped leaves that people use as food and medicine

9.5

A very large bird from Europe and Asia that is the heaviest flying bird in Europe

great cerebral vein
  • Specialized
7.5

A large blood vessel in the brain that carries blood from deep parts to a channel called the straight sinus

A very large dry area of sand that covers much of the Arabian Peninsula

9.9

A large seabird that could not fly and lived on rocky islands in the northern Atlantic and is now extinct

How Famous

legend
256 3.5
great
55 5.9
public figure
51 3.5
notable
5 4.1
local
197 1.2

Surface Forms

great singular
greats plural

Etymology

Great as a noun comes from the adjective great meaning 'very important', so a 'great' is a person people see as 'outstanding' or very famous.