great

adjective

• 1of an extent, amount, or intensity considerably above the normal or average:the article was of great interest she showed great potential as an actor
• very large and imposing:a great ocean between them
• [attributive] used to reinforce another adjective of size or extent:a great big grin
• [attributive] used to express surprise, admiration, or contempt, especially in exclamations:you great oaf!
• (also greater) [attributive] used in names of animals or plants that are larger than similar kinds, e.g., great auk, greater flamingo.
• (Greater) [attributive] (of a city) including adjacent urban areas:Greater Cleveland

• 2of ability, quality, or eminence considerably above the normal or average:the great Italian conductor we obeyed our great men and leaders great art has the power to change lives
• (the Great) a title denoting the most important person of the name:Alexander the Great
• informal very good or satisfactory; excellent:this has been another great year what a great guy wouldn’t it be great to have him back? [as exclamation]:“Great!” said Tom
• [predic.] informal (of a person) very skilled or capable in a particular area:a brilliant man, great at mathematics

• 3 [attributive] denoting the element of something that is the most important or the most worthy of consideration:the great thing is the challenge
• used to indicate that someone or something particularly deserves a specified description:I was a great fan of Hank’s

• 4 [in combination] (in names of family relationships) denoting one degree further removed upward or downward:great-aunt great-granddaughter great-great-grandfather

noun

• 1a great or distinguished person:the Beatles, Bob Dylan, all the greats
• (as plural noun the great) great people collectively:the lives of the great, including Churchill and Newton

• 2 (Greats) British informalanother term for Literae Humaniores.

adverb

• excellently; very well:we played awful, they played great