# chunk

/ˈtʃəŋk/ (US) · /tʃˈʌŋk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/chunk
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a thick piece

noun · CEFR B2

a thick, solid, and often irregular piece of something.

For teachers: a thick, solid, and typically irregularly shaped piece of a substance.

- He cut a large chunk of cheese to put in his sandwich.
- The excavator unearthed a massive chunk of granite that had been buried several metres below the surface.

### 2. a large amount

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a large part or amount of something, like time or money.

For teachers: a significant or substantial portion of a non-physical entity, such as time, finance, or a task.

- I spent a big chunk of my weekend cleaning the garage.
- The unexpected repairs consumed a significant chunk of the annual maintenance budget before the second quarter had even ended.

### 3. language/memory unit

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Technical

a group of words or information that you learn as one unit.

For teachers: a unit of information or language consisting of several components that are processed or remembered as a single entity.

- Learning phrases like 'by the way' as a single chunk helps you speak more naturally.
- Cognitive load theory suggests that learners can process complex information more effectively when it is presented in manageable chunks.

### 4. computing data block

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a small piece of data sent or stored as one unit.

For teachers: a discrete segment of a file or data stream, particularly in audiovisual media or memory management.

- The video file was divided into small chunks for faster streaming.
- The server transmits the metadata in an initial chunk before the primary data stream begins.

### 5. to break into pieces

verb · CEFR B2

to break something into thick pieces or groups.

For teachers: to divide or break something into large, discrete segments or pieces.

- You should chunk the text into smaller parts to make it easier to read.
- The software automatically chunks the raw data into logical categories based on the timestamps provided.

## Examples

- I cut a large chunk of cheese for the sandwich.
- The project took a significant chunk of my time over the weekend, but I finally finished it.
- By breaking the complex lecture into manageable chunks, the professor ensured that the students could process and retain the dense information without experiencing cognitive overload.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.