- gross
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I. adjective
Etymology: Middle English grosse, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French gros large, thick, whole, from Late Latin grossus coarse
Date: 14th century
1.
a. archaic immediately obvious
b.
(1) glaringly noticeable usually because of inexcusable badness or objectionableness <a gross error> (2) out-and-out, utter <a gross injustice> c. visible without the aid of a microscope 2. a. big, bulky; especially excessively fat b. growing or spreading with excessive luxuriance 3. a. of, relating to, or dealing with general aspects or broad distinctions b. consisting of an overall total exclusive of deductions <gross income> — compare net 4. made up of material or perceptible elements 5. archaic not fastidious in taste ; undiscriminating 6. a. coarse in nature or behavior ; unrefined b. gravely deficient in civility or decency ; crudely vulgar <merely gross, a scatological rather than a pornographic impropriety — Aldous Huxley> c. inspiring disgust or distaste <that sandwich looks gross> 7. deficient in knowledge ; ignorant, untutored Synonyms: see coarse, flagrant • grossly adverb • grossness noun II. noun Date: 1579 1. obsolete amount, sum 2. overall total exclusive of deductions III. transitive verb Date: 1884 to earn or bring in (an overall total) exclusive of deductions (as for taxes or expenses) • grosser noun IV. noun (plural gross) Etymology: Middle English gros, probably from Anglo-French grosse sum, whole, from feminine of gros Date: 14th century an aggregate of 12 dozen things <a gross of pencils>
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.