Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Comprehensive |
ComprehensiveAdjective1. Including all or everything; "comprehensive coverage"; "a comprehensive history of the revolution"; "a comprehensive survey"; "a comprehensive education". 2. Broad in scope; "a comprehensive survey of world affairs". 3. Being the most comprehensive of its class; "an unabridged dictionary". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "comprehensive" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1660. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Computing | COMPREHENSIVE An early system on MIT's Whirlwind. [Listed in CACM 2(5):16 (May 1959)]. Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing. |
Building & Civil Engineering | In planning, constuction and management, the inclusion of all socially pertinent purposes(or uses)on an interrelated basis, and all economically relevant means of providing for them. Source: European Union. (references) |
Language | Covering a matter under consideration completely or nearly completely: accounting for or comprehending all or virtually all pertinent considerations. . Source: European Union. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following table is compiled from various sources, across various languages. When English abbreviations or acronyms come from a non-English source, this is noted. | |||
| Entry | Source | Expression | Field |
| COMPASS | English | A Comprehensive Algebraic Approach to System Specification and development | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |||
Synonyms: ComprehensiveSynonyms: full, large, wide. (additional references) |
| Antonym: noncomprehensive (adj). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Book | Definitive work, treatise, comprehensive treatise (dissertation). |
Generality | Adjective: general, generic, collective; broad, comprehensive, sweeping; encyclopedical, widespread; (dispersed). |
Reasoning, | Prosyllogism, syllogism; enthymeme, sorites, dilemma, perilepsis, a priori reasoning, reductio ad absurdum, horns of a dilemma, argumentum ad hominem, comprehensive argument; empirema, epagoge. |
Size | Adjective: large, big; great; (in quantity); considerable, bulky, voluminous, ample, massive, massy; capacious, comprehensive; spacious; mighty, towering, fine, magnificent. |
Whole | Wholesale, sweeping; comprehensive. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | I have a comprehensive command of American musicals. (Sports Night; writing credit: Tom Brady; Kevin Falls) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
References | |||
Books |
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Periodicals | |||
Theater & Movies | |||
Music |
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High Tech |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | 1960's view of building of the Detroit Institute for Cancer Research which was the precursor of the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Metropolitan Detroit. Credit: Unknown photographer/artist. |  | The entrance to the Nena Comprehensive Health Service Center. Credit: National Library of Medicine. |
 | George H. Broadhurst's new American play, The last chapter a comprehensive production and significant cast. Credit: Library of Congress. | ||
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
| Author | Quotation |
John Dryden | He [Shakespeare] was the man who of all modern, and perhaps ancient poets, had the largest and most comprehensive soul. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Provides a comprehensive vocational rehabilitation training program. (references) | |
In fact, they are often detectable only through comprehensive testing. (references) | ||
The setting must provide access for provision of comprehensive services. (references) | ||
Business | Dealer-owned centers offer less comprehensive lines of service. (references) | |
Once approved, they will become China's first comprehensive set of regulations. (references) | ||
The first step has been the formulation and approval of a comprehensive IT policy. (references) | ||
Children | Belgium | There are comprehensive child protection laws. (references) |
India | However, implementation of these entitlements is not comprehensive. (references) | |
Ghana | The law bans ritual servitude in comprehensive legislation to protect women and children's rights. (references) | |
Civil Liberties | Mexico | Outright attacks and intimidation of journalists are underreported, and there are no comprehensive nationwide studies of these incidents. (references) |
Israel and the occupied territories | During comprehensive closures, the authorities severely restrict the movement of goods between Israel and the occupied territories and between the West Bank and Gaza. (references) | |
Iceland | Human rights monitors have expressed concern about the lack of comprehensive legislation to govern the processing of asylum seekers and to provide a framework for the handling of foreigners and immigrants in general. (references) | |
Economic History | India | India does not have a comprehensive cold chain network. (references) |
Hong Kong | NOTE: This list is not in rank order nor is it comprehensive. (references) | |
Sweden | From ages 7-16, children attend compulsory comprehensive school. (references) | |
Human Rights | Kenya | Several NGO's maintain comprehensive files on human rights abuses. (references) |
Mozambique | In 2000 a comprehensive UNDP report noted that prisons were decaying, overcrowded, and inadequately supplied. (references) | |
Brazil | In 1998 Human Rights Watch also issued a comprehensive report based on an extensive review of prison conditions in eight states. (references) | |
Indigenous People | Canada | Since 1999 the authorities have settled 16 specific claims, and 70 comprehensive land claims have been negotiated across the country. (references) |
Minorities | Czech Republic | On April 4, the Foreign Ministry and the International Romany Union signed a memorandum of cooperation on the formulating of a comprehensive plan for addressing the problems facing Roma. (references) |
Ireland | A 1993 task force on the travelling community produced a comprehensive report in 1995 on various aspects of Travellers' lives, including education, work, accommodation, health, and discrimination. (references) | |
Political Economy | BANGLADESH | The law is comprehensive but largely is ignored by employers. (references) |
Lesotho | The NSS and the LPS also are undergoing comprehensive restructuring. (references) | |
UNITED KINGDOM | UK intellectual property laws are strict, comprehensive, and rigorously enforced. (references) | |
Trade | China | China offers a comprehensive program of tax incentives and concessions. (references) |
Eritrea | Eritrea is planning to implement a comprehensive tax and customs reform. (references) | |
Switzerland | At the same time, most larger banks offer a comprehensive range of services. (references) | |
Travel | Bulgaria | Sofia has a comprehensive bus, tram and trolley system. (references) |
Turkey | Anyone coming to Turkey should have comprehensive medical insurance. (references) | |
Croatia | In Zagreb, there is a comprehensive tram/bus transport system which make all parts of the city accessible. (references) | |
Women | Tunisia | Violence against women occurs, but there are no comprehensive statistics to measure its extent. (references) |
Belgium | The Government actively promotes a comprehensive approach to the integration of women at all levels of decisionmaking. (references) | |
East Timor | UNTAET regulations prohibit prostitution; however, UNTAET has not released comprehensive statistics regarding prostitution. (references) | |
Worker Rights | Romania | In 1999 a department was established within the Ministry to conduct comprehensive safety inspections. (references) |
Nepal | In July 2000 the Government passed the Child Labor Act, the country's first comprehensive child labor law. (references) | |
China | The law prohibits the employment of children, but the Government has not adopted a comprehensive policy to combat child labor. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| Speaker | Phrase(s) |
King Hussein of Jordan | My role in this process is to ensure that what we have achieved so far will be a model, a good example to others. It will be a cornerstone for peace, a comprehensive peace, which all of us search and seek between the Arab world and Israel. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Speaker | Term | Phrase(s) |
George Washington | 1789-1797 | Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally. |
Franklin Pierce | 1853-1857 | Hence a sound and comprehensive policy should embrace not less the distant future than the urgent present. |
Harry S. Truman | 1945-1953 | Instead it has called on the President to present a comprehensive Executive Budget. |
Richard Nixon | 1969-1974 | Soon after my election, through an individual who is directly in contact on a personal basis with the leaders of North Vietnam, I made two private offers for a rapid, comprehensive settlement. |
Gerald Ford | 1974-1977 | Last month, I signed a compromise national energy bill which enacts a part of my comprehensive energy independence program. |
Jimmy Carter | 1977-1981 | At long last, we must have a clear, comprehensive energy policy for the United States. |
Ronald Reagan | 1981-1989 | Fortunately, we and our allies have rediscovered the strength of our common democratic values, and we're applying them as a cornerstone of a comprehensive strategy for peace with freedom. |
George Bush | 1989-1993 | A comprehensive national energy strategy that calls for energy conservation and efficiency, increased development and greater use of alternative fuels. |
Bill Clinton | 1993-2001 | Now we can cut taxes in a more comprehensive way. |
George W. Bush | 2001-2005 | With my signature, this act of Congress will create a new Department of Homeland Security, ensuring that our efforts to defend this country are comprehensive and united. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| "Comprehensive" is generally used as an adjective (general or positive) -- approximately 94.70% of the time. "Comprehensive" is used about 3,602 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Adjective (general or positive) | 94.7% | 3,411 | 2,830 |
| Noun (proper) | 5.3% | 191 | 22,216 |
| Total | 100.00% | 3,602 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| Country | Name |
| USA | Children's Comprehensive Services, Inc. |
| (more examples...) |
Source: compiled by the editor from Icon Group International, Inc.
Expressions using "comprehensive": Comprehensive Dental Care ♦ comprehensive electronic office ♦ comprehensive faculty ♦ Comprehensive Health Care ♦ comprehensive insurance ♦ comprehensive motorcar insurance ♦ comprehensive Perl Archive Network ♦ comprehensive school ♦ comprehensive TeX Archive Network ♦ comprehensive treatise dissertation ♦ comprehensive view ♦ general Electric Comprehensive Operating System ♦ householder's comprehensive insurance. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "comprehensive": comprehensive-turned-direct, comprehensive-type. | |
Ending with "comprehensive": all-comprehensive, anti-comprehensive, non-comprehensive. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "comprehensive"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | tërësor (all out, complete, dyed in the wool, thorough), i plotë (all out, big, broad, clear, close, complete, crowded, dead, direct, dyed in the wool, entire, flush, fraught, full, gross, integral, out and out, outright, overall, perfect, plenary, Plumb, plummy, pregnant, radical, round, sheer, solid, thorough, thoroughgoing, total, unabbreviated, uncut, unquestioning, utter, whole), i hollësishëm (categorical, circumstantial, detail, detailed, elaborate, explicit, minute, narrow, particular, play-by-play), gjithëpërmbledhës, gjithëpërfshirës (all out, all-embracing, extensive, inclusive, sweeping). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | واسع الإدراك, شمول (containment, inclusion, thoroughness), شامل (catholic, comprehensible, extensive, full, full scale, general, generic, global, including, inclusive, overall, pandemic, perfect, sweeping, thorough, total, universal). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | схватлив (apprehensive, apt, docile, nimble, prehensile, quick, quick-witted, receptive, teachable), обширен (ample, broad, commodious, expansive, extensive, far flung, generic, large, large scale, rangy, spacious, vast, vasty, voluminous, wide), подробен (circumstantial, close, depth, detailed, disquisitional, elaborate, explicit, narrow, nice, particular). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 全面 (all-around, overall, total). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | zevrubný (detailed, exhaustive), rozsáhlý (big, extensive, far flung, large, vast, widespread), obsažný (copious, pithy), obsáhlý (all-embracing, expansive, voluminous), detailní (detailed, punctual, thorough). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | omfattende (extensive), kompleks (complex). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | veelomvattend (ample, bulky, extensive, sizable). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Esperanto | multampleksa. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Farsi | فراگیرنده (Acquisitive, Pervasive), محیط (Circumference, Entourage, Environment, Girth, Lap, Milieu, Outside, Perimeter, Periphery, Sphere), وسیع (Abroad, Ample, Captious, Extensive, Immense, Large, Roomy, Spacious, Vast, Wide), جامع (Catholic, General, Large, Plenary, Precise, Spacious, Universal), بسیط (Extensive, Large, Simple). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | laaja (extensive, large, vast, wide). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | compréhensif, complet (complement, complete, consummate, costume). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | umfassend (blanket, broad, capacious, complete, comprising, enfolding, explicitly, extended, extensive, full, global, omnibus, sweeping, thorough, wholesale, wide), reichhaltig (extensive, large, rich, varied, wide), umfassende (capaciously, comprehensively, encyclopedical). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | περιεκτικός (succinct), πλήρης (full, replete). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | מקיף (all inclusive, all out, circumscribed, embracing, extensive, overall, surrounding, sweeping), כלול (complete, completion, included, inclusive), כל צ""י (multilateral), כולל י (general, global, omnibus, sweeping, universal), כולל (bulk, included, including, inclusive, total). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | széleskörû (across the board, extensive, far flung), átfogó (all round, all-in, broad, expansive, extensive, hypotenuse, intensive, large, overall, panorama, roundabout). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indonesian | menyeluruh (spread all over, thorough), luas (amplitude, capacious, commodious, dimensional, expansive, extensive, extent, far-ranging (discussion), vast, wide). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | coordinato (coordinate), comprensivo (inclusive, quick, responsive, sympathetic, understanding), complesso (complex, complicated, ensemble, entirety, group, intricate, manifold, system, totality, unit, whole), integrale (complete, integral, outright, unabridged, uncut, undivided, wholemeal), globale (aggregate, all round, entire, global, overall, overhead, total), esaustivo (exhaustive). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Kanji | 物尽し (being complete, exhaustive), 総合的 (synthetic), 広汎 (extensive, wide-ranging), 包括的 . (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Katakana | そう"うてき (synthetic), ほうかつてき, "うは" (deck, erythema, extensive, mimeograph, public hearing, red spots, second half, steel plate, steel sheet, trial, wide, wide-ranging, widespread), ものづくし (being complete, exhaustive). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Korean | 포괄. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manx | ooilley-ghoaillys. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Norwegian | omfattende (extensive). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | omprehensivecay completo (absolute, all out, all-around, all-out, all-round, arrant, bijou, clean, complete, completed, done, downright, dyed-in-the, egregious, entire, exhaustive, freehearted, full, fullbodied, outright, plenary, plumb, precious, round, run-down, sheer, sweeping, teetotal, thorough, thoroughgoing, through, thru, total, unabridged, unalloyed, unmitigated, utter, whole), global (aggregate, global, mondial, overall), extenso (ample, broad, bulky, expansive, extensive, far-flung, far-reaching, flyaway, large, long, slip-on, spacious, sweeping, vast, voluminous, wide), amplitude (ampleness, amplitude, bulk, dimension, extend, extent, latitude, size, spread). (various references) cuprinzãtor (ample, broad, compendious, extensive, far reaching, inclusive, long range, open-mindedly, wide), comprehensiv, complet (absolute, all out, broad, clear, collected, complement, complete, completely, dead, down to the ground, downright, entire, entirely, every bit, every inch, exhaustive, fairly, flat, full, fully, good, hollow, outright, perfect, purely, quite, stark, strict, suite, thorough, thoroughly, thoroughpaced, to the bone, total, unabridged, utter, utterly, whole), vast (ample, broad, expansive, extensive, far reaching, large, measureless, spacious, vast, wide), pãtrunzãtor (acute, astute, clear, clear-sighted, deep, deeply, discerning, harsh, high pitched, in-going, keen, loud, Parky, penetrating, perspicacious, piercing, quick, rich, sagacious, screaming, searching, sharp, shrewd, shrill, strident, subtle, thrilling, touching), larg (ample, broad, broadly, extensive, full, large, loose, mighty, open-mindedly, roomy, space, spacious, spaciousness, vast, wide), inteligent (apprehensive, argute, brainy, bright, clever, cute, intelligent, keen, lively, luminous, neat, nimbly, politic, sagacious, sage, sharp, sharp-witted, smart, understanding), extensiv (extending, extensive, wide). (various references) исчерпывающий (exhaustive). (various references) obiman (ample, capacious, extensive, large, massive, massy, spacious, voluminous), bistar (bright, clear, limpid, nimble, orient, pellucid). (various references) comprensivo (kind, kindly, sympathetic, understanding). (various references) omfattande (ample, extensive, far reaching, including, large, large scale, thoroughgoing, vast, voluminous, widely-spread). (various references) meslek ortaokulu, kapsamlı (across the board, blanket, exhaustive, generic, universal, well-rounded, wide), idrak edebilen, geniş kapsamlı (across the board, all inclusive, blanket, far reaching, far-going, in depth, omnibus, sweeping, universal), geniş (ample, broad, broadly, capacious, commodious, cosmic, cosmical, expansive, extended, extensive, full, large, obtuse, open, roomy, spacious, splay, vast, walk in, wide), etraflı (detailed, exhaustive, in depth, over all), anlayışlı (considerate, discerning, gentle, heartthrob, indulgent, quick-eyed, receptive, sagacious, understanding, wise). (various references) hemmetaraplaяy n. (various references) тямущий (adept, alert, capable, cute, dexterous, docile, intelligenced, smart, well-seen, wise), всеосяжний (all-embracing, catholic, cosmic, encyclopaedic, encyclopaedical, encyclopedic, encyclopedical, omnibus, omnidirectional, overall, spacious), всебічний (all round, in depth). (various references) thông minh (apprehensive, aptly, bright, intelligent, sagacious, sharp-witted), lĩnh hội nhanh, bao h m to n diện mau hiểu. (various references) cynhwysfawr. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "comprehensive": comprehensively, comprehensiveness, comprehensivenesses. (additional references) | |
| |
"Comprehensive" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: comperhensive, compprihensive, comprahensive, compreehensive, comprehansive, comprehencive, comprehensiv, comprehensivize, comprehesive, comprenhensive, compreshensive, comprhensive, compurehensive, comrehensive, conprehensive. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "comprehensive" (pronounced kÄ'mprēhe"nsiv) |
| 6 | -h e" n s i v | apprehensive. |
| 5 | -e" n s i v | counteroffensive, defensive, expensive, extensive, hypertensive, inexpensive, inoffensive, offensive, pensive. |
| 4 | -n s i v | expansive, nonresponsive, responsive, unresponsive. |
| 3 | -s i v | abrasive, abusive, adhesive, aggressive, allusive, aversive, coercive, cohesive, collusive, compulsive, conclusive, conducive, convulsive, corrosive, decisive, depressive, derisive, discursive, dismissive, dispersive, divisive, effusive, elusive, erosive, evasive, excessive, exclusive, explosive, expressive, illusive, impassive, impressive, impulsive, incisive, inclusive, inconclusive, indecisive, intrusive, invasive, massive, missive, nonexclusive, obsessive, obtrusive, oppressive, passive, permissive, persuasive, pervasive, possessive, progressive, recessive, reclusive, reflexive, regressive, repressive, repulsive, submissive, subversive, successive, unimpressive, unobtrusive. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "c-e-e-e-h-i-m-n-o-p-r-s-v" | |
-2 letters: mesonephric. | |
-3 letters: ceremonies, recompense, servicemen. | |
-4 letters: cheverons, coinheres, ecosphere, enciphers, ephemeris, ephemeron, morphines, nosepiece, overmines, perceives, phonemics, premonish, provinces. | |
-5 letters: cheepers, cheerios, cheesier, cheveron, chevrons, chimeres, chompers, chopines, choremen, chorines, chrismon, cohesive, coinhere, compeers, comperes, comprise, conserve, conspire, converse, corpsmen, creepies, emersion, emperies, encipher, enriches, ensphere, epicenes, epimeres, eversion, heroines, horsemen, improves, incomers, incorpse. | |
| Words containing the letters "c-e-e-e-h-i-m-n-o-p-r-s-v" | |
+2 letters: comprehensively. | |
+4 letters: comprehensiveness. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Photo Album 7. Quotations: Familiar 8. Quotations: Non-fiction | 9. Quotations: Spoken 10. Quotations: Speeches 11. Usage Frequency 12. Names: Company Usage | 13. Expressions 14. Expressions: Internet 15. Translations: Modern 16. Abbreviations | 17. Acronyms 18. Derivations 19. Rhymes 20. Anagrams | 21. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
