Largely
/ˈlɑːr.dʒli/
Definitions
To a considerable extent; mainly or mostly.
/ˈlɑːr.dʒli/
To a great extent; mostly
The population of the city is largely immigrant.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're talking about a big pizza. 'Largely' means most of the pizza is covered with pepperoni. It's a way of saying a big part of something is that way.
👶 For kids: It means 'mostly'. Like, if a pizza is largely cheese, it has a lot of cheese on it!
More Examples
The success of the project was largely unexpected.
His decision was largely influenced by his family.
The building is largely made of glass and steel.
How It's Used
"The company is largely based in Europe."
"The data shows that the increase is largely due to the new marketing campaign."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
From Middle English "largely", from "large" (big, extensive) + "-ly" (suffix forming adverbs). Ultimately derived from Latin "largus" meaning abundant or plentiful.
Historically, "largely" was used similarly to its modern usage, reflecting a sense of size and extent. Used more commonly in formal texts and discussions.
Memory tip
Think of a large area covering most of something.
Word Origin
"abundant, plentiful (largus)"