expanse
UK: ɪkˈspæns | US: ɪkˈspæns
n. a wide, open area or surface; something that spreads out
n. (archaic) the act of expanding
expanse = ex<out> + panse<spread>
- ex (Latin ex-): Prefix meaning "out" or "beyond."
- panse (from Latin pandere, "to spread"): Root implying expansion or stretching.
Etymology Origin:
Derived from Latin expansus (past participle of expandere, "to spread out"), the word entered Middle English via Old French. The morpheme panse evolved from pandere, reflecting the core idea of spreading or stretching outward. Over time, expanse narrowed to describe vast, open spaces—retaining its literal and metaphorical ties to expansion.
The Sahara is an endless expanse of sand and sky.
From the airplane, we saw the vast expanse of the ocean below.
His mind was an expanse of unexplored ideas.
The artist painted the expanse of the prairie at sunset.
The novel describes the emotional expanse of human experience.