whopping
UK: ˈwɒpɪŋ | US: ˈwɑːpɪŋ
adj. extremely large or impressive in size, amount, or degree
adv. (informal) used to emphasize how large or extreme something is
whopping = whop<to strike or beat> + ing<present participle suffix>
- whop (from Middle English whappen, meaning "to strike or beat")
- ing (suffix forming present participles or gerunds)
Etymology Origin:
The word "whopping" originates from the verb "whop," which meant "to strike forcefully." Over time, the participle form "whopping" evolved to describe something so striking or impressive in size that it metaphorically "hits" the observer with its magnitude. This informal usage emphasizes exaggeration, often in a playful or hyperbolic context (e.g., "a whopping 90%").
The company reported a whopping $10 million profit this quarter.
She ate a whopping three slices of cake at the party.
The project took a whopping six months to complete.
He caught a whopping fish during his vacation.
The stadium holds a whopping 80,000 spectators.