hefty

C2+ Topic:Numbers & Quantity

US /ˈhɛfti/ UK /ˈhɛfti/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
large, heavy, and powerful; substantial in amount

They paid a hefty fee for the rush delivery.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · large, heavy, and powerful;... weighty heavy substantial bulky massive sizable

Opposites

light slight flimsy puny insubstantial

Word family

Derived forms heftilyheftiness

Related forms heft heave

Etymology

From heft plus the adjective-forming suffix -y; heft probably derives from heave (Old English hebban 'to lift'), on the analogy of weft from weave.

hebban Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Numbers & Quantity Word Formation & Derivatives

# hefty

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ˈhɛfti
**IPA (UK):** ˈhɛfti

## Meanings
1. large, heavy, and powerful; substantial in amount

## Examples
- They paid a hefty fee for the rush delivery.

## Synonyms
- weighty
- heavy
- substantial
- bulky
- massive
- sizable

## Antonyms
- light
- slight
- flimsy
- puny
- insubstantial

## Derived Forms
- heftily
- heftiness

## Related Forms
- heft
- heave

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: hebban

## Etymology
From heft plus the adjective-forming suffix -y; heft probably derives from heave (Old English hebban 'to lift'), on the analogy of weft from weave.

## AI Etymology
Hefty comes from heft plus the adjective-forming suffix -y; heft probably derives from heave (Old English hebban 'to lift'), on the analogy of weft from weave. The suffix is part of the word's derivational shape, marking the final grammatical or semantic role while the base supplies the central meaning. As an adjective, it carries the sense "large, heavy, and powerful; substantial in amount", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Old English hebban. Derivative forms include heftily, heftiness; related words include heft, heave.

## Topics
- Numbers & Quantity
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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hefty

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