ample

English

WOTD – 16 August 2009    

Etymology

From Middle French ample, from Latin amplus (“large”), probably for ambiplus (“full on both sides”), the last syllable akin to Latin plenus (“full”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA: /ˈæmpl/
• (RP) IPA: /ˈɑmpl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

  Rhymes: -æmpəl

Adjective

ample (comparative ampler, superlative amplest)

1. Large; great in size, extent, capacity, or bulk; spacious; roomy; widely extended.
   • All the people in that ample house Did to that image bow their humble knees. --Spenser.
2. Fully sufficient; abundant; liberal; copious; as, an ample fortune; ample justice.
3. Not contracted or brief; not concise; extended; diffusive; as, an ample narrative.

Synonyms

• full, spacious, extensive, wide, capacious, abundant, plentiful, plenteous, copious, bountiful; rich, liberal, munificent
• See also Wikisaurus:ample

Related terms

amplifiable amplification amplifier

amplificatory amplify amplitude

Translations

large; great in size

• Armenian: լայն (hy) (layn), ընդարձակ (hy) (ëndarjak)
• Bulgarian: обширен (bg) (obširen), просторен (bg) (prostoren)
• Danish: stor (da), vid (da)
• Finnish: tilava (fi)
• French: ample (fr)
• Italian: ampio (it)
• Persian: کافی (fa), فراوان (fa)

• Polish: duży (pl), obszerny (pl)
• Russian: огромный (ru) (ogrómnyj), обширный (ru) (obšírnyj), просторный (ru) (prostórnyj)
• Spanish: amplio (es), extenso (es)

fully sufficient; abundant

• Arabic: متوفر (ar) (mutawáffir)
• Armenian: միանգամայն բավարար (hy) (miangamayn bavarar), լիառատ (hy) (liaṙat)
• Bulgarian: обилен (bg) (obilen)
• Czech: hojný (cs) m
• Danish: rigelig (da)
• Dutch: overvloedig (nl), abondant (nl), rijkelijk voorhanden (nl)
• Finnish: runsas (fi)

• German: üppig (de)
• Italian: abbondante (it)
• Norwegian: rikelig (no)
• Russian: обильный (ru) (obíl’nyj)
• Spanish: abundante (es), generoso (es)
• Swedish: tillräcklig (sv), fullödig (sv)
• Telugu: పుష్కలం (pushkalaM), ధారాళం (dhaaraaLaM)

not contracted or brief; not concise

• Armenian: լայնածավալ (hy) (laynaçaval)
• Danish: fyldig (da)
• Finnish: laaja (fi)

• Norwegian: fyldig (no)
• Swedish: fyllig (sv)

References

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

Anagrams

• maple

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French

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

ample (masculine and feminine, plural amples)

1. plentiful, abundant, copious, profuse, ample

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Latin

Adjective

ample

1. vocative masculine singular of amplus