massive

comparative more massive · superlative most massive

1. generalVery large in size or extent.

   The Enlightenment involved massive shifts in many areas of Western thought.

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   Compared to its counterparts from World War II, the Abrams main battle tank is truly massive.

   Across Japan, technology companies and private investors are racing to install devices that until recently they had little interest in: solar panels. Massive solar parks are popping up as part of a rapid build-up that one developer likened to an "explosion."

   2013 June 21, Chico Harlan, “Japan pockets the subsidy […] ”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 2, page 30

   Since the launch early last year of […] two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations. University brands built in some cases over centuries have been forced to contemplate the possibility that information technology will rapidly make their existing business model obsolete.

   2013 July 20, “The attack of the MOOCs”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845

2. Substantial in mass; bulky, heavy and solid.

   A massive comet or asteroid appears to have ended the era of the dinosaurs.

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   But Richmond[…]appeared to lose himself in his own reflections. Some pickled crab, which he had not touched, had been removed with a damson pie; and his sister saw, peeping around the massive silver epergne that almost obscured him from her view, that he had eaten no more than a spoonful of that either.

   1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax

   Young Jupiter was smacked head-on by massive newborn planet […] "The only scenario that resulted in a core-density profile similar to what Juno measures today is a head-on impact with a planetary embryo about 10 times more massive than Earth," Liu said.

   2019 August 15, “Young Jupiter was smacked head-on by massive newborn planet”, in Rice University News, archived from the original on 01 Oct 2020

   Synonyms: colossal, enormous, gargantuan, giant, gigantic, great, huge, mahoosive

3. informalTo a very great extent; total, utter.

   Notwithstanding Catherine's assurances, I was apprehensive about meeting Denys, worried that I would come off as a massive idiot […]

   2007, Christine Conrad, Mademoiselle Benoir, page 171

4. colloquialOf particularly exceptional quality or value; awesome.

   Did you see Colbert last night? He was massive!

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   Ok true believers here is the low down of massive coolness.

   1995 November 29, harry knowles, “INDEPENDENCE DAY---MASSIVE COOL SPOILERS DON'T OPEN IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW”, in rec.arts.sf.movies (Usenet)

   Heaps excited about it - I'm planning for a massive day.

   1998 February 13, David Farrar, “Re: Te Papanz.reg.wellington.general”, in nz.reg.wellington.general (Usenet)

   saw the beasties last week in GERMANY at a massive little party called the Hurricane Festival outside Hamburg and here's how it all shook down[…]

   1998 July 2, super disco dan, “Deasties rock the Hurricane- 06/21/98”, in alt.music.beastie-boys (Usenet)

   OPEN THROUGH THE SUMMER: We are on the 3rd Saturday of the month, remain at the same venue, at the same price, at the same times and always give you a massive night out to remember (unless you've drunk too much bargain University booze!).

   2003 June 11, Glenn Wendyhouse, “WENDYHOUSE June 21st”, in uk.people.gothic (Usenet)

   I own this one, bought it because I liked Slide. The album is quite dull. They were massive back in the day

   2010 July 30, Robbie, “Re: Survivable album chart from 2001”, in uk.music.charts (Usenet)

   Synonyms: awesome, super, excellent, stupendous

5. IrelandcolloquialinformalOutstanding, beautiful.

   Your dress is massive, love. Where did you get it?

6. medicineAffecting a large portion of the body, or severe.

   a massive heart attack

7. natural sciencesHaving any mass.

   Some bosons are massive while others are massless.

8. geographyHomogeneous, unstructured.
   1. chemistryNot having an obvious crystalline structure.

plural massives

1. chemistryA homogeneous mass of rock, not layered and without an obvious crystal structure.

   karst massives in western Georgia

2. Multicultural London EnglishslangA group of people from a locality, or sharing a collective aim, interest, etc.

   Big up to the Croydon massive!

   Synonyms: clique, gang, set