enormous

[ ih-nawr-muhs ]

adjective

1. greatly exceeding the common size, extent, etc.; huge; immense:

   an enormous fortune.

   Synonyms: stupendous, prodigious, mammoth, gigantic, colossal, vast

2. outrageous or atrocious:

   enormous wickedness; enormous crimes.

enormous

/ ɪˈnɔːməs /

adjective

1. unusually large in size, extent, or degree; immense; vast
2. archaic.
   extremely wicked; heinous

Derived Forms

• eˈnormousness, noun
• eˈnormously, adverb

Other Words From

• e·normous·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of enormous¹

First recorded in 1525–35; enorm + -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of enormous¹

C16: from Latin ēnormis, from ē- out of, away from + norma rule, pattern

Synonym Study

See huge.

Example Sentences

"When I found out some of the things that had been going on, I just felt enormous guilt, enormous remorse," he tells me.

From BBC

But by overseeing FDA, CDC, and NIH, he could have an enormous influence on public health policies and possibly research funding.

From Science Magazine

He said in April that he "did not want to accept" the "enormous sum of money" he had been offered to settle but a trial was likely to prove "very expensive".

From BBC

His mass deportation proposal would likely sow enormous pain for millions of families and economic hardship across the United States.

From Salon

VDare encouraged its readers to “join the Sierra Club NOW and have your vote influence this debate. … The prize is enormous.”

From Salon

Related Words

• behemothic
• colossal
• excessive
• gargantuan
• gigantic
• huge
• humongous
• immense
• mammoth
• massive
• monstrous
• prodigious
• tremendous
• vast