Weightful

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Carrying considerable significance, influence, or seriousness in a way that deserves close attention
2. Heavy in import or consequence, such that something commands respect and serious consideration
3. Of great moment or substance, weighty in its meaning, impact, or the gravity it conveys

Etymology: "Weightful" is a plain compound: "weight" with the suffix "-ful," meaning "full of" or "having much of" the quality named. So the word literally describes something full of weight, in the physical sense of heaviness, before the figurative sense of importance took over. That figurative shift is the part worth noticing. "Weight" has long been used for gravity, seriousness and influence, as when a argument or a person carries weight. Adding "-ful" to that abstract sense produces a word for matters that are momentous or consequential, rather than merely heavy to lift. The word is formed by ordinary English rules, so it needs no special history. Its meaning comes straight from the two parts: the noun for importance, and the suffix that turns a noun into an adjective of abundance.

Synonyms: weighty, heavy, ponderous

Antonyms: light, weightless