What does bulk mean?
"Bulk" denotes largeness of size, mass, or volume — the physical heft of an object or person — and, by extension, the greater part or majority of something, as in "the bulk of the evidence." It is a versatile workhorse word in both ordinary and commercial English: shoppers buy staples "in bulk" to save money, movers groan at the bulk of furniture, and athletes "bulk up" to add muscle. As a noun, bulk carries connotations of immensity that can be either impressive or cumbersome, depending on context; as a verb, it usually appears in the form "bulk up," meaning to grow larger or more substantial. The word entered English from Old Norse "bulki," originally referring to ship cargo, which is why it retains commercial overtones today. Its adjective relative, "bulky," describes anything awkwardly large or space-consuming. Few everyday words so neatly bridge the warehouse, the gym, and abstract talk of quantities.
The large size, mass, or volume of someone or something; also, the greater or main part of a quantity or group.
"The bulk of the crowd had already left by midnight."
Often used with the definite article in "the bulk of."
To increase greatly in size or strength (usually "bulk up"); less commonly, to appear large or imposing ("bulk large").
"He spent the winter bulking up at the gym before the season began."
The transitive sense "to bulk out" means to pad or expand something with filler material.
Rarely pluralized; the noun is normally uncountable except when referring to distinct masses or shipments.
"The crane lifted several bulks of timber onto the dock."
Despite meaning "huge," bulk comes from the Old Norse "bulki" — cargo loaded onto a ship — so every time you buy in bulk, you're speaking Viking shipping jargon.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bulk
English borrowed "bulk" from Old Norse "bulki," a term for cargo or heap, during the medieval period through Scandinavian influence on northern England. Its earliest senses concerned goods and shipping — buying and selling in large lots — before broadening to mean great size or mass generally. Related forms survive in the modern Scandinavian languages. The derived adjective "bulky" developed within English, extending the idea of massiveness to describe unwieldy objects.
Related word forms
How bulk is actually used
In everyday usage, "the bulk of" is extremely common and means "most of." The phrase "in bulk" typically appears in commercial contexts, referring to buying or selling large quantities at lower unit prices. The verb "bulk up" is frequent in fitness contexts (gaining muscle) but also applies figuratively to expanding reports, budgets, or rosters. The older intransitive sense "to bulk large" survives mainly in literary or journalistic writing.
Easily confused with bulk
"Balk" means to hesitate or refuse to proceed, while "bulk" refers to size, mass, or volume — the words differ by just one letter.