Voluminous

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /vəˈl(j)uː.mɪ.nəs/

Definitions

1. Taking up a great deal of space or volume ; characterized by extensive and detailed content or numerous parts
2. Having a large size or bulk ; richly filled with many details or large quantity of information
3. Describing something spacious or large in size ; abundant in quantity or comprehensive in scope

Etymology: "Voluminous" traces back to the Latin verb "volvere," meaning "to roll" or "turn about." A "volumen" was a scroll, the rolled-up book form used in antiquity, so the word's first sense was tied to the physical roll of papyrus or parchment. From that roll came the idea of something that unfolds at length, and "volumen" came to mean a book or bulk of writing as well. The adjective "voluminosus" came out of Late Latin, where it described things that were full of coils or folds, or bulky in form. English borrowed the word and used it for things that take up a great deal of space, a sense that has stayed close to its physical origin. The noun "volume," meaning the amount of space something occupies, descends from the same root, so the two words are close relatives.

Synonyms: spacious, ample, bulky, large, expansive

Antonyms: small, slim, narrow