What does "comprehensive" mean?

1. (complete and thorough) including all or nearly all the facts, details, or items that are needed. 2. (a type of school) a secondary school in the UK for children of all abilities.

How do you use "comprehensive"?

Often used to describe lists, studies, insurance, or reviews.

comprehensive

adj. · n.

US //ˌkɑmpɹiˈhɛnsɪv// UK //kˌɒmpɹɪhˈɛnsɪv// com·pre·hen·sive

1 complete and thorough (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

including all or nearly all the facts, details, or items that are needed.

covering a broad range of elements or including all necessary details; exhaustive in scope.

Example

The city guide provides a comprehensive list of all the best restaurants.

Example

The researchers conducted a comprehensive review of the existing literature before proposing their new hypothesis to the faculty.

Usage

Often used to describe lists, studies, insurance, or reviews.
2 a type of school (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate British English

a secondary school in the UK for children of all abilities.

a secondary school in the United Kingdom that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or financial means.

Example

Most children in this town go to the local comprehensive.

Example

After the educational reforms of the 1960s, many traditional grammar schools were converted into large comprehensives to promote social equality.

Teacher's tip

This noun sense is specific to the British education system; American speakers would typically say 'public high school'.
- state school
- grammar school
- private school

Origin

Borrowed from late Middle French compréhensif, from Late Latin comprehēnsīvus, from Latin comprehendō.