different between greatness vs proportion

English

Etymology

From Middle English gretnesse, gretnes, greetnesse, from Old English gr?atnes. Equivalent to great +? -ness.

Pronunciation

• enPR: gr?t?n?s, IPA^(key): /???e?tn?s/
• Hyphenation: great?ness

Noun

greatness (countable and uncountable, plural greatnesses)

1. The state, condition, or quality of being great

   Due to the greatness of his size, he was an effective bodyguard.

   greatness of mind

   • c. 1600, William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night ACt 3 Scene 4

     Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em.
2. (obsolete): Pride; haughtiness.
   • 1627, Francis Bacon, New Atlantis

     It is not of pride or greatness that he cometh not aboard your ships.

Translations

See also

• magnum opus
• genius

Anagrams

• Tressange, estranges, seargents, sergeants

English

Etymology

From Middle English proporcion, from Old French proportion, from Latin pr?porti? (“comparative relation, proportion, symmetry, analogy”), from pro (“for, before”) + portio (“share, part”); see portion.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /p???p????n/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /p???p????n/
• (rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA^(key): /p???po(?)???n/
• (non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA^(key): /p???po???n/
• Rhymes: -??(?)??n
• Hyphenation: pro?por?tion

Noun

proportion (countable and uncountable, plural proportions)

1. (countable) A quantity of something that is part of the whole amount or number.

   • “I don't mean all of your friends—only a small proportion—which, however, connects your circle with that deadly, idle, brainless bunch—the insolent chatterers at the opera, the gorged dowagers, the worn-out, passionless men, the enervated matrons of the summer capital, […]!”

2. (uncountable) Harmonious relation of parts to each other or to the whole.
3. (countable) Proper or equal share.
   • 1650, Jeremy Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living

     Let the women […] do the same things in their proportions and capacities.

4. The relation of one part to another or to the whole with respect to magnitude, quantity, or degree.
   • 1563, John Foxe, Actes and Monuments

     The image of Christ made in Pilate's time after his own proportion.
5. (mathematics, countable) A statement of equality between two ratios.
6. (mathematics, archaic) The "rule of three", in which three terms are given to find a fourth.
7. (countable, chiefly in the plural) Size.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

proportion (third-person singular simple present proportions, present participle proportioning, simple past and past participle proportioned)

1. (transitive) To divide into proper shares; to apportion.
2. (transitive) To form symmetrically.
3. (transitive, art) To set or render in proportion.
4. (transitive, archaic) To correspond to.

Translations

Further reading

• proportion in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• proportion in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

French

Etymology

From Latin pr?porti?.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p??.p??.sj??/

Noun

proportion f (plural proportions)

1. proportion

Derived terms