Word
bulk
US/ˈbəɫk/
UK/bˈʌlk/
Definitions
01the majority
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Academic
n. the largest part of something.
n. the greater part or majority of a whole.
Español:grueso
“The bulk of the work was finished by noon, so we took a long break.”
“The bulk of the research funding was allocated to renewable energy projects, leaving little for traditional fossil fuel studies.”
Usage
Usually follows the pattern 'the bulk of [something]'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02muscle mass
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Informal
n. extra body weight, especially from building muscle.
n. increased body mass, specifically muscle tissue developed through strength training and diet.
“He started eating more protein to add some bulk to his frame.”
“The athlete focused on adding functional bulk during the off-season to improve his performance in contact situations.”
03large quantities
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. bought or sold in large amounts, often at a lower price.
adj. relating to goods bought, sold, or transported in large quantities and not in separate packages.
“It is usually cheaper to buy rice in bulk bags rather than small boxes.”
“The company specialises in bulk shipments of raw minerals to industrial manufacturing plants across the continent.”
Usage
Commonly used in the phrase 'in bulk'.
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “bulk” in context.
Verb
01. buy in bulk
“We found that we could save a significant amount of money by buying our office supplies in bulk.”
verb + prep + noun
02. constitute the bulk
“Small and medium-sized enterprises constitute the bulk of the country's economy.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. sheer bulk
“The sheer bulk of the ancient stone walls made them nearly impossible to penetrate.”
adj + noun
04. vast bulk
“The freighter's vast bulk loomed over the small fishing boats in the harbor.”
adj + noun
Noun
05. bulk buying
“The supermarket chain benefits from bulk buying, which allows them to offer lower prices.”
noun + noun
06. bulk of the work
“Although the project is not finished, we have already completed the bulk of the work.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
07. in bulk
“Grains and legumes are much cheaper when you purchase them in bulk at the local cooperative.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“But one recent single bulk order from a Canadian company equalled what he would expect to move in seven days.” “Gimon explained that the bulk of new projects are small and mid-size utility-scale solar.” “AI firms quietly bulk buying rare books face resistance from booksellers.” Etymology
From Middle English bulk, bolke (“a heap, cargo, hold; heap; bulge”), borrowed from Old Norse búlki (“the freight or the cargo of a ship”), from Proto-Germanic bulkô (“beam, pile, heap”), from Proto-Indo-European bʰelǵ- (“beam, pile, prop”). Compare Icelandic búlkast (“to be bulky”), Swedish dialectal bulk (“a bunch”), Danish bulk (“bump, knob”). Conflated with Middle English bouk (“belly, trunk”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Idioms
01. bulk billing
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/bulk
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0