Make Your Point > Archived Issues > VOLUMINOUS

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explore the archives: Recently, when we studied the word voluble, we noticed that volume sometimes means quantity or amounts in general: how much of something there is. Today, we're looking at voluminous, another relative of volume in the sense of quantity. Voluminous things are extensive, copious, very full, forming a big mass or a huge collection. Voluminous and voluble aren't synonyms, though. What does voluble have to do with volume? (Hint: it has nothing to do with loudness.) make your point with... "VOLUMINOUS" One meaning of "volume" is "amount or quantity." Something voluminous has a lot volume. In other words, there's a lot of it: it's massive, bulky, extensive, very full, or very large in amount or number. Pronunciation: vuh LOO minn us Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "a voluminous thing." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was voluminous.") Other forms: voluminously, voluminousness How to use it: Even though I bet you already know this word, let's give it a few moments' consideration anyway to make sure it's ready for you to recall when you need it. It often has a positive tone: voluminous things tend to be thorough or abundant. But the tone can be negative, too: "voluminous propaganda," "voluminous tax laws." You might be literal and talk about voluminous clothing (such as voluminous jackets and skirts), voluminous containers (such as voluminous bags and pockets), voluminous hair, voluminous bodies of water, voluminous books and journals, and voluminous menus and portions. More often, we talk figuratively about voluminous details and reporting, voluminous data and evidence and testimony, voluminous analysis and commentary, voluminous studies and publications, etc. And you can write voluminously, publish or distribute voluminously, speak voluminously, etc. examples: This is crazy! Chad's board game collection, voluminous enough to fill four sets of shelves, doesn't yet earn him the Copper microbadge on BoardGameGeek.com.  One of the middle chapters was so hard to slog through: a narration of a long, intricate entomological study, voluminously detailed. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "voluminous" means when you can explain it without saying "a lot" or "ample." try it out: Fill in the blank: "It's a slow news day, so _____ will probably be the subject of voluminous analysis." Example: "It's a slow news day, so that newborn giraffe will probably be the subject of voluminous analysis." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. License Plate Words! You’ve spotted a cluster of three letters on a license plate. Keep all three letters together—don’t insert any letters between them—but add any letters you like to the left and/or right of the cluster to form words. For example, when you spot the cluster CKG, you can form BACKGROUND and BACKGAMMON (and all their related words, like BACKGROUNDER and BACKGAMMONING, for a total of 8 possible words). We’ll move from easy to hard clusters as the month goes on. (For the curious, you can generate a complete list of answers using a tool like this one.) Let's play! Our previous question: If you spot the cluster ULY, you can use it to form 9 words. Give yourself a minute or so. Can you think of some? Answers: You may have thought of DULY and UNDULY, TRULY and UNTRULY, JULY, and/or UNRULY. Try this last one today: If you spot the cluster BBU, you can use it to form only 1 word. What is it? review today's word: 1. One opposite of VOLUMINOUS is A. SCANT B. SECONDARY C. HARDSCRABBLE 2. Asked for their advice, the most voluminous writers suggest that we _____. A. spend more time researching and outlining before sitting down to write B. set not goals but requirements, treating writing as a regularly scheduled job C. take frequent walks outdoors, waiting as long as it takes for true inspiration to strike Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. B