Arabic word sheet
عَظِيمٌ
great, immense
- Type
- adjective
- Root
- ع ظ م
Meaning and usage
Very big, huge
Said of a thing whose size goes far beyond that of other things of its kind: a mountain, a building, a crowd.
رَأَى رَامِي جَبَلًا عَظِيمًا
Rami saw a huge mountain.
Great in rank or worth
Said of a person or a work held in high esteem, one that counts for much in the eyes of others.
سَامِي كَاتِبٌ عَظِيمٌ
Sami is a great writer.
Grave, hard to bear
Said of a matter, a mistake or a misfortune whose weight or consequences are considerable.
هَذَا خَطَأٌ عَظِيمٌ
This is a grave mistake.
Word family
What the root means ع ظ م
The root carries the idea of greatness, in size as well as in importance. From it come the verb "to be great" and the stronger adjective "very great".
to be great, to become great
عَظُمَ
very great (rare)
عُظَامٌ
Synonyms
big, large
It is the everyday word for what is big in itself; the headword is stronger and speaks of a greatness that impresses the onlooker.
Opposites
insignificant, contemptible
حَقِيرٌ
small
صَغِيرٌ