expanse

[ ik-spans ]

noun

1. an uninterrupted space or area; a wide extent of anything:

   an expanse of water.

   Synonyms: stretch, range, reach, sweep

2. something that is spread out, especially over a relatively large area:

   that great expanse, the sky.

3. expansion; extension:

   the wide expanse of scientific knowledge.

expanse

/ ɪkˈspæns /

noun

1. an uninterrupted surface of something that spreads or extends, esp over a wide area; stretch

   an expanse of water

2. expansion or extension

Word History and Origins

Origin of expanse¹

1660–70; < New Latin expānsum, noun use of neuter of Latin expānsus, past participle of expandere to expand

Word History and Origins

Origin of expanse¹

C17: from New Latin expansum the heavens, from Latin expansus spread out, from expandere to expand

Example Sentences

There’s so much potential in the 35-acre expanse that dates to the 1880s and was once a symbol of municipal pride, as well as a setting for Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton movies and for a stunt in which escape artist Harry Houdini jumped into the lake in chains.

From Los Angeles Times

And though she has since deleted this comment, she didn't delete it fast enough, and feeds soon flooded with commentary from an expanse of people calling for her head.

From Salon

"I want to separate Rohit Bal from the House of Bal - in products as well as style, in expensiveness and expanse," Bal told Shefalee Vasudev in Mint newspaper.

From BBC

Kocourek said it was good to come up here, to see from this height the vast expanse, its beauty, cruelty and danger, the way the light moves.

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s very hard for the family — usually the husbands — to give up their lawn space. It’s ingrained in us — we have a big attachment to flat green monocultures. People like to see the expanse of their land, and they justify it with this vague idea like, ‘Someday, we’ll play football out there.’”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• plain
• stretch
• tract
• wilderness