different between cumbrous vs massive

English

Etymology

cumber +? -ous

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?k?mb??s/

Adjective

cumbrous (comparative more cumbrous, superlative most cumbrous)

1. Unwieldy because of its weight; cumbersome.
   • 1727, Jonathan Swift, Desire and Possession

     He sunk beneath the cumbrous weight.

   • 1840, Thomas De Quincey, Style (published in Blackwood's Magazine)

     that cumbrous and unwieldy style which disfigures English composition so extensively
2. (obsolete) Giving trouble; vexatious.

References

• “cumbrous”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.

English

Etymology

From Middle English massif, from Middle French massif. The Irish sense is possibly derived from Irish mas (“fine, handsome”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?mæs.?v/
• Rhymes: -æs?v

Adjective

massive (comparative more massive, superlative most massive)

1. Very large in size or extent
2. Very large or bulky and heavy and solid
3. (informal) To a very great extent; total, utter.
   • 2007, Christine Conrad, Mademoiselle Benoir (page 171)

     Notwithstanding Catherine's assurances, I was apprehensive about meeting Denys, worried that I would come off as a massive idiot […]

4. (colloquial) Of particularly exceptional quality or value; awesome.
5. (colloquial, informal, Ireland) outstanding, beautiful

   Your dress is massive, love. Where did you get it?

6. (medicine) Affecting a large portion of the body, or severe.

7. (physics) Having a large mass
8. (physics, of a particle) Possessing mass.

9. (geology) Homogenous, unstructured
   1. (mineralogy) Not having an obvious crystalline structure.

Synonyms

• (of or pertaining to a large mass): bulky, heavy, hefty, substantial, weighty
• (much larger than normal): colossal, enormous, gargantuan, giant, gigantic, great, huge, mahoosive (slang), titanic
• (of great significance or import): consequential, meaningful, overwhelming, significant, weighty
• (of grandeur): awesome, super, excellent, stupendous

Antonyms

• (of or pertaining to a large mass): insubstantial, light
• (much larger than normal): dwarf, little, microscopic, midget, minuscule, pint-sized, tiny, wee
• (of great significance or import): inconsequential, insignificant, piddling, trifling, trivial, unimportant
• (of grandeur): lame, stale, disappointing, crappy
• (of having nonzero mass): massless

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

massive (plural massives)

1. (mineralogy) A homogeneous mass of rock, not layered and without an obvious crystal structure.

   karst massives in western Georgia

2. (MLE, slang) A group of people from a locality, or sharing a collective aim, interest, etc.

   Big up to the Croydon massive!

Anagrams

• mavises

French

Adjective

massive

1. feminine singular of massif

German

Pronunciation

Adjective

massive

1. inflection of massiv:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Italian

Adjective

massive

1. feminine plural of massivo

Norwegian Bokmål

Adjective

massive

1. definite singular of massiv
2. plural of massiv

Norwegian Nynorsk

Adjective

massive

1. definite singular of massiv
2. plural of massiv