What does bigtime mean?
"Bigtime" is an informal English intensifier meaning "to a great degree" or "very much." It functions chiefly as an adverb placed after a verb — as in "he screwed up bigtime" or "they owe us bigtime" — though it also appears as a modifier in phrases like "a bigtime player." The word derives from the older noun phrase "big time," which emerged in American show business in the early twentieth century to describe the premier vaudeville circuits; reaching the "big time" meant achieving top-level success. That sense of arriving at the highest level still colors the modern intensifier, which often carries connotations of magnitude, seriousness, or consequence rather than glamour alone. Because of its colloquial register, "bigtime" suits conversation, journalism quoting speech, and casual prose, but it should be avoided in formal or academic writing. It remains especially common in American English and is widely understood across the English-speaking world.
The highest or most successful level of a profession or activity.
"After years in small clubs, the band finally hit the big time."
Usually written as two words in this sense.
To a great or extreme extent (informal).
"We owe you bigtime for covering my shift."
First-rate, major-league, or highly successful (informal).
"She just signed with a bigtime literary agent."
Rarely used; the plural appears mainly in the set phrase "good times"-style expressions and is not common.
"Those were the big times of his career."
The word traces back to vaudeville: performers who made the 'big time' had reached the major circuits — and the phrase stuck around long after the variety shows faded.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bigtime
"Bigtime" comes from the American English noun phrase "big time," which arose in the early twentieth century among vaudeville performers to denote the major, high-paying theater circuits, as opposed to the "small time." By the mid-twentieth century it had developed into an adverbial intensifier written as one word. Its components are the native English words "big" (Middle English, of uncertain ultimate origin) and "time" (Old English "tīma"), so its relatives are simply other compounds built on those roots, such as "lifetime" and "daytime."
Related word forms
How bigtime is actually used
Strictly informal and conversational; avoid in formal writing, where 'greatly', 'badly', or 'severely' are preferred. The one-word spelling is common in casual American usage; style guides typically favor the two-word form.
Easily confused with bigtime
"Big time" (two words) is the noun phrase referring to the top level of a profession or the major leagues, while "bigtime" (one word) is the informal adverbial intensifier.