One of my daily emails comes from the good folks at Merriam Webster – “Word of the Day.” Most days I recognize the word and know its definition but there is always the etymology section of the email that traces its origin. It is perpetually fascinating to me how words and associated meaning morph and change. “We now recognize that a mouse isn’t always a rodent, and that the web might not be made by spiders. We understand cookie and bug as software today just as easily as we recognize their older meanings; context is the key to understanding words with several meanings.”

Today’s contribution is the expression “at large.” This would be an email that I might be tempted to not open as I think “I know this one.” But then there is always its history to explore. The word “large” is well known to us in everyday use – greater in size or quantity than that medium sized drink – but did you know that it comes to us from the Latin “largus” meaning generous or plentiful. That makes sense especially is your fountain drink is unlimited refills. But it is a less than clear path how “large” become part of “at large”, as in the “escaped prisoner is now at large” or “Agnes was elected to the country board as a member at large.”

Consider the word “enlarge” whose modern meaning is simply to make bigger. But then what about the word “largess” while “meaning ‘generosity’ also contains the notion of freedom or lack of financial constraints: it’s not about having a “large” amount of money but rather being “free” with it.” This comes from the Middle English use of ‘large” as meaning “imposing few or no restrictions; allowing considerable freedom” and “free of an obligation or responsibility.” – a meaning now obsolete but still leaves its roots in “at large.” The prisoner-at-large has considerable freedom compared to incarceration. The council member is free of an obligation to a specific neighborhood. And so it goes.

Of course, other uses of “at large” can mean something quite different. When we say “the society at large” or “the community at large,” we are referring to an entire group. In these cases, “at large” means “as a whole,” from large meaning “broad” or “comprehensive.”

Word are just fascinating things when you know their history.