ample

adjective

am·​ple ˈam-pəl How to pronounce ample (audio)
1
: generous or more than adequate in size, scope, or capacity
There was room for an ample garden.
2
: generously sufficient to satisfy a requirement or need
They had ample money for the trip.
3
: buxom, portly
an ample figure
ampleness noun
amply adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for ample

spacious, commodious, capacious, ample mean larger in extent or capacity than the average.

spacious implies great length and breadth.

a spacious front lawn

commodious stresses roominess and comfortableness.

a commodious and airy penthouse apartment

capacious stresses the ability to hold, contain, or retain more than the average.

a capacious suitcase

ample implies having a greater size, expanse, or amount than that deemed adequate.

ample closet space

plentiful, ample, abundant, copious mean more than sufficient without being excessive.

plentiful implies a great or rich supply.

peaches are plentiful this summer

ample implies a generous sufficiency to satisfy a particular requirement.

ample food to last the winter

abundant suggests an even greater or richer supply than does plentiful.

streams abundant with fish

copious stresses largeness of supply rather than fullness or richness.

copious examples of bureaucratic waste

Examples of ample in a Sentence

They had ample money for the trip. The police found ample evidence of wrongdoing. There is ample parking at the stadium. You will have ample opportunity to finish the test. The light in the room is more than ample. There was room for an ample garden. an ample serving of pie
Recent Examples on the Web This crewneck pullover provides ample warmth against the brisk fall air and pairs well with any bottoms of your choice. Emily Weaver, People.com, 20 Oct. 2024 Also of note is Roanoke Antique Mall, an all-on-one-floor spot with ample parking outside and an interesting selection of furniture, collectibles, and vintage items inside. Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 19 Oct. 2024 Unlike the heyday of traditional consulting, corporate leaders now enjoy ample access through the internet to extraordinary data, cases, and informational resources on almost any topic. Jon Younger, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024 By the time these foods are eaten, the listeria bacteria have been given ample opportunity to grow, meaning the person eating the food will take in more bacteria. Mustafa Fattah, NBC News, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ample 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ample.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "abundant," borrowed from Anglo-French, "wide, extensive, great," going back to Latin amplus "more than adequate in size or extent, great, having wide scope (of the mind or other abstract entities)," of uncertain origin

Note: M. de Vaan (Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the Other Italic Languages, Brill, 2008) sees amplus going back to *am-lo-, a derivative of a verb base *am- going back to Indo-European *h2emh3- "take hold of" (see amateur). Semantically this hypothesis works well, though it requires that the more likely form *am-a-lo- would have undergone early syncope. The word ampla, supposedly meaning "handle," would be corroboration; however, attestations for ampla are post-classical, excepting an apparent metaphorical employment in the sense "opportunity" by Cicero.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ample was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near ample

Cite this Entry

“Ample.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ample. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

ample

adjective
am·​ple ˈam-pəl How to pronounce ample (audio)
ampler -p(ə-)lər How to pronounce ample (audio) ; amplest -p(ə-)ləst How to pronounce ample (audio)
1
: generous in size, scope, or capacity : copious
ample room for a garden
2
: enough to satisfy a need
ample money for the trip
ampleness noun
amply adverb

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