Massive
/ˈmæsɪv/noun
Very large, heavy, or solid in size, amount, or effect.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Latin *massa*, meaning a lump or dough, which is also the ancestor of *mass*—so one of English’s biggest-sounding words began as something shapeless and pressed together.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mag-
“to knead, shape, or knead into a lump”
Latin
Latin
massa
“a lump, dough, or compact mass”
Late Latin
Latin
massivus
“consisting of a mass; bulky, solid”
Old French
Old French
massif
“solid, compact, massive”
Middle English
English
massif / massive
“solid, bulky, or made of mass”
Modern English
English
massive
“very large, heavy, or substantial”