different between hefty vs powerful

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

Alternative forms

• powreful, powrefull (all obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English pouerful, powarfull, equivalent to power +? -ful.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?pa??f?l/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?pa??f?l/
• Hyphenation: pow?er?ful

Adjective

powerful (comparative more powerful or powerfuller or powerfuler, superlative most powerful or powerfullest or powerfulest)

1. Having, or capable of exerting power, potency or influence.
2. (mining) Large; capacious; said of veins of ore.

Synonyms

• mightful
• mighty
• powersome
• strengthful
• strong
• forceful

Antonyms

• powerless
• strengthless

Translations

See also

• strong

Adverb

powerful (comparative more powerful, superlative most powerful)

1. (Southern US) Synonym of very

Anagrams

• powreful