gross

The word “gross” means disgusting or unpleasant. In plain terms, depending on context: disgusting, or the total amount before anything is subtracted, or a count of 144.

“Gross” is pronounced grohs (/ɡɹoʊs/ in IPA).

Here is “gross” used in a sentence: “That mouldy sandwich in the fridge is gross.”

Depending on how it is used, “gross” can be an adjective, a noun and a verb.

The word “gross” comes from Latin. From Old French gros, "large, thick," from Latin grossus ("big, fat, thick").

“Gross” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Gross” has 6 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: disgusting or unpleasant.

This contrast uses a different sense of 'gross,' meaning a total amount. Gross is the full figure before anything is taken away, while net is what remains after deductions. Gross pay is your salary before tax; net pay is what actually lands in your account.

Gross has two everyday meanings. As an informal adjective it means disgusting or unpleasant, as in 'that smell is gross.' In money and measurement it means a total before deductions, the opposite of net. Context makes clear which sense is intended, since the two rarely overlap.

In the sense of disgusting, gross is informal and conversational, better suited to casual speech than formal writing. In its financial sense, such as gross income or gross profit, it is a precise, formal term used in business and accounting. The tone depends entirely on the meaning.

Meaning disgusting, you might say 'the rubbish left a gross mess in the kitchen,' describing something unpleasant. In its other sense, 'the shop's gross sales were high before costs' shows the total-before-deductions meaning. The same word covers both revulsion and totals depending on context.