- 1 covering a large area; great in amount The house has extensive grounds. The fire caused extensive damage. She suffered extensive injuries in the accident. Extensive repair work is being carried out. an extensive range of wines
- 2 including or dealing with a wide range of information synonym far-reaching Extensive research has been done into this disease. His knowledge of music is extensive. She has extensive experience in computers. Word Originlate Middle English: from French extensif, -ive or late Latin extensivus, from extens- ‘stretched out’, from the verb extendere, from ex- ‘out’ + tendere ‘stretch’.Extra examples The storm caused fairly extensive damage to buildings. After extensive reading on the subject she set to work on an article. The authorities conducted an extensive investigation into his tax affairs. The book includes an extensive bibliography of books and articles. They have an extensive range of wines.
Check pronunciation: extensive
