Considerables

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

  1. Substantial in quantity or importance, often used to indicate something that is noticeably significant or worthy of attention
  2. Notable in extent or degree, frequently describing matters or things that carry a considerable weight in discussion
  3. Markedly large or impactful, typically referring to factors or elements that have a meaningful influence on a situation

Etymology: The noun form you’ve presented, "considerables," is a plural form derived from the adjective "considerable," which itself traces back to the Latin verb "considerare," meaning "to look at closely, observe, or reflect upon." This Latin root is composed of "con-" (together) and "sidus" (star), implying the idea of carefully observing the stars, a metaphor for thoughtful contemplation. Originally, "considerable" entered English in the late 15th century as an adjective, used to describe something worthy of attention or respect due to its size, amount, or importance. Over time, the adjective's meaning broadened and solidified into something substantial or significant. The plural noun form "considerables" emerged as a way to refer collectively to things of significant size, amount, or value—essentially, substantial items or sums that merit attention. Although less common than the adjective, this nominalized form would have been used in contexts where multiple notable or sizable entities were under discussion, such as "considerables" in wealth, resources, or points in an argument. This formation follows a familiar English pattern where adjectives describing quantity or importance are nominalized to discuss the entities or amounts themselves, much like "rich" becoming "the rich" to denote wealthy people. The suffix "-s" signals plurality, indicating more than one considerable thing. While "considerables" is not widely used in everyday speech today, its history reflects the flexibility of English in transforming descriptive terms into nouns to suit nuanced discourse, especially in formal or literary contexts.

Synonyms: amounts, quantities, sums, totals, figures

Antonyms: insignificants, trifles