WordGarden.iobulk
C1Pronunciation
UK
- /bˈʌlk/
US
- /ˈbəlk/
Meanings
Noun
the main or greater part of something
large physical size, mass, or volume
Adjective
in large quantities or large-scale units
Verb
to make or become larger, heavier, or more substantial
to seem prominent or important
Beyond the definition
Imagine a giant bag of flour at the grocery store—that’s often sold in bulk. It describes items available in large quantities, usually without individual packaging. You might buy nuts in bulk to save money, or describe a strong athlete as having substantial bulk, meaning they are powerfully built. Sometimes it points to the overall mass of a thing, like the massive bulk of a cargo ship. A heavy winter coat can add bulk to your silhouette, and the bulk of your day—the majority of it—is often spent working.
The word bulk has a few related meanings, all centered on size and amount. Most commonly, it refers to lots of goods sold together, often without individual wrapping. Think of grains, nuts, or office supplies delivered in bulk: businesses use this for cost efficiency because larger quantities can lower the price per unit. For example: "We saved money by ordering printer paper in bulk."
But bulk is also the word for physical mass. A large oak tree has considerable bulk, and you might describe a stocky athlete as a person of great bulk to emphasize their broad, powerful build.
The phrase the bulk of is figurative and means the main part or majority of something. For example: "The bulk of his income comes from investments." Here, it means most of the income comes from investments, not from salary.
You can also hear bulk used for the main body of a group, as in "the bulk of the audience." This everyday phrasing reinforces the same idea: the word usually marks something big, substantial, or most of the whole.
Examples
- 1
Buying quantities
We buy coffee beans in bulk because it works out cheaper.
- Phrasein bulk
in large amounts, not as individual small items
- 2
Clothing
The winter coat keeps me warm, but it adds a lot of bulk.
- 3
Packaging
Most of the bulk of the package was just cardboard and plastic wrap.
- 4
Meeting time
The bulk of the meeting was spent discussing next year's budget.
- Patternthe bulk of + noun
most of it
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Fabric
The fabric is light, so the curtains hang well without too much bulk.
- 6
Fitness
She wanted to build muscle without adding too much bulk to her frame.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
- heft
- bulkiness
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- sheer bulk
- bulk and weight
- add bulk
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- bulknounverb
Forms
- bulking-ing formverbnoun
- bulkedpast tenseverbnoun
- bulkspluralnounverb