different between prodigious vs hefty

English

Etymology

From Middle French prodigieux, from Latin pr?digi?sus (“unnatural, strange, wonderful, marvelous”), from pr?digium (“an omen, portent, monster”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p???d?d???s/
• Rhymes: -?d??s

Adjective

prodigious (comparative more prodigious, superlative most prodigious)

1. Very big in size or quantity; gigantic; colossal; huge.
2. Extraordinarily exciting or amazing.
3. (obsolete) Ominous, portentous.
4. Monstrous; freakish.

Synonyms

• gigantic, colossal, huge, enormous; See also Thesaurus:gigantic
• amazing
• ominous, portentous

Derived terms

• prodigiously

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

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

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