Distinguishing Between Big & Huge

Big vs Huge

The difference between big and huge can be quite subtle, resulting in confusion. Both words are adjectives, with their origins in Middle English. Big has additional uses as a verb in British informal English and as a noun in North American informal English. It is also used in various phrases, such as “big with child,” “big cheese,” and “the big five.” Huge does not appear in such phrases, but has a derivative called “hugeness.”

What does Big mean?

Big often refers to size, while huge refers to appearance or shape. For example, in the sentence “I had a big lunch today,” big refers to the size of the lunch. Sometimes, big is used to indicate actions or emotions, such as “He made a big mistake” or “How big it is!” Additionally, big can be used to indicate the sense of “elder,” as in “This is my big sister, Natasha.” The adjective big has comparative and superlative degrees in the words “bigger” and “biggest” and can be used figuratively to imply importance or significance, as in “He is a big man.”

What does Huge mean?

Huge is used to convey “large” or “enormous” and sometimes “very great,” as in “He met with a huge success.” The noun form of the adjective huge is “hugeness.”

Key Takeaways

• Big often refers to size, while huge refers to appearance or shape.
• Big can be used to indicate actions, emotions, or the sense of “elder,” while huge can convey “large,” “enormous,” or “very great.”
• The noun form of the adjective huge is “hugeness,” and big has comparative and superlative degrees in “bigger” and “biggest.”