French word

grand

Pronunciation

IPA/gʁɑ̃/

Meaning

  • adjectivebig

Example

Il a un grand chien.

He has a big dog.

Illustration for grand (big)

More examples

Son frère est grand.

His brother is tall.

Core concept

A person, animal, or thing that takes up noticeably more space and attracts more attention than usual.

Common phrases

  • un grand lit

    a big bed

  • un grand appartement

    a big apartment

  • un grand garçon

    a big boy

Similar words

gros: Substantial in thickness or volume.
haut: Tall over a considerable vertical distance.
large: Broad across its width.
vaste: Very extensive in area or range.

Definition in French

Qui se distingue par une grande taille, une vaste étendue ou une impression d'importance.

Word origin

French grand descends from Latin grandis through Old French grant, preserving a link between physical size and figurative greatness.

Usage tips

  • Before a noun, grand homme usually means a great man, whereas homme grand usually means a tall man.

Other meanings

  • talladjective
  • greatadjective
  • magnificentadjective

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word