scale
skayl
Scale (noun) means the size, extent, or proportion of something, especially compared to something else. Example: “Nobody expected the scale of the celebration in the village.”
noun
1
The size, extent, or proportion of something, especially compared to something else.
"Nobody expected the scale of the celebration in the village."
"The architects were amazed by the sheer scale of the old cathedral."
"The scale of the damage from the flood shocked everyone."
2
A series of marked measurements used for comparison, such as on a ruler, map, or rating system.
"The thermometer has a scale in both Celsius and Fahrenheit."
"On the map's scale, one centimetre represents a kilometre."
"Rate your pain on a scale of one to ten."
3
One of the small, hard, overlapping plates covering the skin of fish and reptiles.
"The lizard's scales felt dry and rough under my fingers."
"She scraped the scales off the trout before cooking it."
"Sunlight glinted off the fish's silver scales."
4
An instrument for measuring weight.
"I put the flour on the kitchen scale and checked the weight."
"The post office scale showed that the parcel was too heavy."
"Step on the scale to check your weight."
verb
1
To increase or decrease something in size while keeping its proportions, especially to grow a business or process.
"We plan to scale the design down to fit on a postcard."
"The startup struggled to scale its operations once demand grew."
"The recipe can easily be scaled up for a larger dinner party."
2
To climb to the top of something.
"The children tried to scale the wall to fetch their ball."
"He scaled the ladder quickly to reach the roof."
"The climbers scaled the cliff face in under two hours."
How to use scale
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA very flexible word covering size/proportion, measurement systems, weighing devices, fish/reptile skin plates, and the verb for climbing or resizing something.
Common mistake
The measuring-device sense ("bathroom scale") and the fish-skin sense look identical but come from two unrelated word histories — don't assume one explains the other.
Common pairings
scale up
scale down
to scale
a large scale
fish scales
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Word forms
- Plural
- scales
- Third person singular
- scales
- Past tense
- scaled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Nobody expected the _____ of the celebration in the village.
Etymology
From Latin scāla, "ladder, staircase," from scandere, "to climb" — the same root behind "ascend" and "descend." The fish-skin sense comes from a separate but similarly spelled Germanic word.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for scale
See all rhymes for scale →Frequently asked questions
What does “scale” mean?
The word “scale” means the size, extent, or proportion of something, especially compared to something else. In plain terms, a very flexible word covering size/proportion, measurement systems, weighing devices, fish/reptile skin plates, and the verb for climbing or resizing something.
How do you pronounce “scale”?
“Scale” is pronounced skayl (/skeɪl/ in IPA).
How do you use “scale” in a sentence?
Here is “scale” used in a sentence: “The scale of the damage from the flood shocked everyone.”
What part of speech is “scale”?
Depending on how it is used, “scale” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “scale” come from?
The word “scale” comes from Latin. From Latin scāla, "ladder, staircase," from scandere, "to climb" — the same root behind "ascend" and "descend." The fish-skin sense comes from a separate but similarly spelled Germanic word.
Is “scale” a common word?
“Scale” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “scale” have?
“Scale” has 6 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the size, extent, or proportion of something, especially compared to something else.
What are the different meanings of scale?
Scale has several meanings. It can mean the size or extent of something, as in 'the scale of the problem.' It can be a device for weighing, the tough plates on a fish or reptile, a series of musical notes, or the ratio between a map and real distances. Context decides.
What does 'on a large scale' mean?
It means done to a great size, extent, or degree. Producing something on a large scale means making a lot of it, or affecting many people or a wide area. The phrase contrasts with 'on a small scale,' where the size, reach, or ambition of the activity is much more limited.
What is the scale of a map?
A map's scale is the ratio between distance on the map and the matching distance in the real world. A scale of 1:100,000 means one centimetre on the map equals 100,000 centimetres, or one kilometre, on the ground. It lets you judge real distances from the map.
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