different between hefty vs lofty

English

Etymology

19th century. From heft (“weight”) +? -y.

The similarity with German heftig (“vigorous, violent, intense”) is apparently coincidental. From the German are Dutch, Danish, Norwegian heftig, Swedish häftig.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?h?fti/

Adjective

hefty (comparative heftier, superlative heftiest)

1. Heavy, strong, vigorous, mighty, impressive.

   He can throw a hefty punch.

   • 1934, Frank Richards, The Magnet, Kidnapped from the Air

     The Remove dormitory echoed to the old, familiar sound of Bunter's hefty snore.

2. Strong; bulky.

   They use some hefty bolts to hold up road signs.

3. (of a person) Possessing physical strength and weight; rugged and powerful; powerfully or heavily built.

   He was a tall, hefty man.

4. Heavy, weighing a lot.

   She carries a hefty backpack full of books.

5. (colloquial, of a number or amount) Large.

   That's going to cost you a hefty sum.

Usage notes

• Nouns to which "hefty" is often applied: price tag, premium, profit, price, penalty, fine, portion, salary, gain, increase, amount, sum, check, fee.

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English lofty, lofti, lofte (“of high rank; noble; ornate”), equivalent to loft +? -y; see loft (“sky, firmament; upper room”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: l?ft?i, IPA^(key): /?l?fti/
• (General American) enPR: lôft?i, IPA^(key): /?l??fti/
• (cot–caught merger, Canada) enPR: l?ft?i, IPA^(key): /?l?fti/
• Rhymes: -?fti, -??fti

Adjective

lofty (comparative loftier, superlative loftiest)

1. high, tall, having great height or stature
   • 1885, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 551:

     When the night was half spent, I rose and walked on, till the day broke in all its beauty and the sun rose over the heads of the lofty hills and athwart the low gravelly plains.

2. idealistic, implying over-optimism

   a lofty goal

   • 2013, Delme Parfitt in Wales Online, Cardiff City 1 - 0 Swansea City: Steven Caulker heads Bluebirds to South Wales derby win (3 November 2013)

     A goal from Steven Caulker, just after the hour mark, was enough to hand victory to Malky Mackay's men, with Swansea falling some way short of the lofty standards they have set previously at this level.

3. extremely proud; arrogant; haughty
   • F. Harrison

     that lofty pity with which prosperous folk are apt to remember their grandfathers

Synonyms

• (having great height or stature): noble, honorable

Antonyms

• (having great height or stature): mean, ignoble
• (idealistic): familiar, vulgar

Related terms

• loft
• aloft

Translations