What does great mean?
Great is a highly versatile English adjective whose meaning depends on context. It commonly expresses strong approval, describing something as excellent, outstanding, or exceptionally successful: “She gave a great performance.” It can also indicate large size, a substantial degree, considerable importance, or an elevated level of skill and influence. The word may modify people, things, actions, quantities, or abstract ideas. In everyday conversation, great often functions as an enthusiastic response or a way of describing personal success, as in “That’s great news” or “I’m doing great.” This informal use is especially noticeable because the same word can carry a more formal evaluative sense in literary, academic, or professional contexts. Although many modern speakers use great chiefly to mean “excellent,” its older and still important meanings include “large,” “powerful,” and “of major significance.” The resulting flexibility allows a single familiar word to express scale, quality, relevance, admiration, and emphatic approval.
Excellent, outstanding, or exceptionally successful; also large, important, powerful, or highly skilled, depending on context.
"The new system made a great difference to the team’s productivity."
The evaluative and quantitative senses are both common. The phrase “a great deal of” uses great to express a large quantity or degree.
To a great extent or degree; very.
"The revised plan was greatly improved after the meeting."
The adverb is chiefly represented today by the derived form greatly. Great used directly as an adverb is especially common in informal speech.
A person of exceptional eminence, ability, or importance, especially in the arts or public life.
"The festival celebrates the greats of world cinema."
Usually used in the plural, particularly in the expression “the greats.”
An exclamation expressing enthusiastic approval or satisfaction.
"We have secured the venue—great!"
This use is informal and conversational.
Used for a group of highly distinguished or influential people, especially in the arts or public life.
"The series profiles the greats of documentary filmmaking."
From Old English grēat, “great” began by describing physical scale before it became a synonym for excellence.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does great come from?
Great descends from Old English grēat, an inherited Germanic adjective associated with largeness, thickness, or coarseness. The word is commonly traced to Proto-Germanic *greutaz and to a reconstructed Indo-European root often written *gʰrewd-, with meanings connected with size or roughness. Related forms include English crude, grout, and grit, while its Germanic relatives include German groß and Dutch groot. Over time, great expanded from physical qualities to include excellence, eminence, and emotional intensity.
Related word forms
How great is actually used
Great is common in both formal and informal English. It can sound strongly approving, as in “an excellent result,” or more conversational when used as an enthusiastic exclamation. In British and American English, “great” is also frequently used informally to mean “very good” or “doing well.”
Easily confused with great
Great and grate are homophones in many accents, but grate is a metal framework or the verb meaning to irritate or shred, while great normally describes excellence, size, or importance.