extensive

English

Etymology

    From late Middle English, borrowed from Late Latin extensīvus, from Latin extensus.

    Pronunciation

    • (Received Pronunciation, Canada) IPA(key): /ɪkˈstɛn.sɪv/
    • (General American) IPA(key): /ɪkˈstɛn.sɪv/, (rare, maybe erroneous) /ɛkˈstɛn.sɪv/
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    • (Australia) IPA(key): /ɪkˈsten.sɪv/
    • (New Zealand) IPA(key): /əkˈsten.səv/

    Adjective

    extensive (comparative more extensive, superlative most extensive)

    1. Having a great extent; covering a large area; vast.
    2. (figurative) Considerable in amount.
      I have done extensive research on the subject.
    3. Serving to extend or lengthen; characterized by extension.
      • 1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC:
        For station is properly no rest, but one kind of motion, relating unto that which physicians (from Galen) do name extensive or tonical; that is, an extension of the muscles and organs of motion, maintaining the body at length, or in its proper figure.
    4. (physics) Having a combined system entropy that equals the sum of the entropies of the independent systems.
      • 2000, Roman Teisseyre, Eugeniusz Majewski, Earthquake Thermodynamics and Phase Transformation in the Earth's Interior, →ISBN:
        According to Tsallis (1988), the entropy was extensive for T = 1, superextensive for t < 1 and subextensive for t > 1.

    Derived terms

    Translations

    See also

    French

    Adjective

    extensive

    1. feminine singular of extensif

    Latin

    Adjective

    extēnsīve

    1. vocative masculine singular of extēnsīvus