Bulk
/bʌlk/noun
A large mass or size; the main part of something.
Did you know?Bulk comes from Old Norse *bulki*, meaning a ship’s cargo or freight, so the word began in the world of heavy goods and sea trade rather than abstract size.
Etymological Timeline
Old Norse
ON
bulki
“cargo, freight, loaded goods”
Middle English
EN
bulke
“a heap, mass, or cargo”
15th Century
EN
bulk
“a large mass or size; the body or main part of something”
Modern English
EN
bulk
“great size or volume; the main part of a whole”