Great is an adjective used to denote high quality, size, or intensity, or as an informal exclamation of approval. It conveys positive appraisal and can modify nouns (great idea) or stand alone in exclamations (that’s great!). In everyday speech it also appears in phrases like great deal or great deal of effort, retaining the sense of magnitude or excellence. It is a short, single-stressed syllable with a simple vowel and final consonant.
"That was a great performance."
"We had a great time on vacation."
"She's a great leader who inspires others."
"That deal sounds great and fits our budget."
Great comes from Old English grēot or grēt, related to the German gross and Dutch groot, all connected to the idea of large size or fullness. Its early use in Old English encompassed meanings like ‘large in number or extent’ and later extended to ‘powerful, noble, or important.’ By the Middle Ages, great described not just physical size but also high rank, eminence, and moral virtue. As English evolved, the word broadened to express general excellence—an association reinforced in modern usage where great frequently signals positivity rather than physical magnitude. The word’s ascent into common idiomatic expressions (great idea, that’s great) reflects its role as a versatile, high-impact adjective. Earliest written attestations appear in Old English texts from the 9th–11th centuries, with evolving spellings like grēt and grētian before stabilizing into modern Great. Over centuries, the semantic field shifted from tangible greatness to evaluative appraisal, aligning with everyday praise and informal reinforcement. In contemporary English, great is ubiquitous across registers, from casual speech to formal writing, retaining its core sense of magnitude and merit while adapting to idiomatic phrases and emphasis.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "Great" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Great" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Great" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "Great"
-ate sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Pronounce as /ɡreɪt/. Start with the /ɡ/ stop, then glide into the /reɪ/ diphthong (the mouth starts with a mid-close position and moves toward a higher, front vowel, ending with the /t/ release). Stress is on the single syllable. In natural speech, the /eɪ/ is a tight diphthong, and the final /t/ may be lightly unreleased in casual contexts, blending with following sounds in connected speech. Audio references: try listening to native speakers on Pronounce or Forvo to hear the clean /ɡreɪt/ onset and release.
Common errors include saying /ɡriːt/ with a long /iː/ instead of the /eɪ/ diphthong, and over-projecting the final /t/ when in rapid speech. Another mistake is adding extra vowel length after /t/ or pronouncing /ɡræt/ with a flat vowel. To correct: practice the /eɪ/ diphthong by starting at mid and gliding to a higher vowel; keep the final /t/ crisp or slightly unreleased in connected speech; and ensure the initial /ɡ/ is hard but not aspirated into a pause.
In US, UK, and AU, the /ɡ/ and /ɹ/ align closely, but vowel quality and r-coloring can vary in adjacent words and phrases. All share /ɡreɪt/ with rhoticity affecting surrounding vowels: in US, /ɹ/ may influence neighboring vowels subtly in linked speech; in UK and AU, non-rhotic tendencies may alter rhythm subtly, but the core vowel /eɪ/ remains. Australian English often features a slightly centralized or fronter realization before a consonant cluster, but here it remains a clear /eɪ/. Intonation patterns differ slightly by region but the base pronunciation is consistent.
The main challenges are the tight /eɪ/ diphthong and the final /t/. For some speakers, the glide between /e/ and /ɪ/ is subtle, causing a flat vowel; others may insert an extra vowel or misplace the tongue for /t/, especially in rapid speech where the /t/ becomes a soft flapped or unreleased stop. Mastery requires precise tongue position for the mid-to-high front tongue, clear lip rounding for the diphthong, and crisp alveolar closure for the /t/.
In Great, the letter cluster ‘ea’ is pronounced as the /eɪ/ diphthong, not a long /iː/ or /ɛ/. Your mouth should start around mid-front and glide toward a higher front vowel, ending with a crisp /t/. This is a common source of confusion for learners who expect ‘ea’ to behave as in words like treat or beat; here it’s /eɪ/, making the sound more like the vowel in ‘gate’.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Great"!
No related words found
