big
/bɪɡ/
adjective
Origin
Unknown
bigge — large, powerful
Overview
Meaning Now
- Of considerable size, extent, or intensity.
- Important or significant.
Language path
Middle English → English
Earliest form
bigge
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The word 'big' appeared in Middle English with a somewhat mysterious etymology. It did not exist in Old English, where 'great' (from Proto-Germanic *grautaz) was the standard term for size. Linguists speculate it may have been of Scandinavian origin, though no direct cognate exists in Old Norse.
Evolution
- 13th century
bigge
“sturdy, powerful”
Originally likely denoting physical strength rather than sheer dimension.
- 14th century
big
“physically large”
Began to replace the Old English term 'great'.
- 16th century
big
“important, pregnant”
Expanded usage to include metaphorical importance and pregnancy.
Connections
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