Updated on March 6, 2024
Comprehensive is a powerful word that holds great significance in our daily lives. It describes the quality of being thorough and inclusive, covering all aspects and details of a subject. This cultural importance is reflected in its translations in different languages, showcasing the richness and diversity of linguistic and cultural traditions around the world.
Did you know that the word 'comprehensive' has its roots in the Latin word 'comprehendere', which means 'to seize' or 'to take in'? This historical context highlights the word's original meaning of grasping or understanding something fully.
Knowing the translation of 'comprehensive' in different languages can be useful for a variety of reasons. For instance, if you're traveling to a foreign country, understanding the local language can help you navigate and communicate more effectively. Additionally, if you're studying a new language, learning key vocabulary words like 'comprehensive' can help you build a strong foundation for further language acquisition.
Here are some translations of 'comprehensive' in different languages to get you started:
Afrikaans | omvattend | ||
The word "omvattend" can also mean "all-inclusive" or "thorough". | |||
Amharic | ሁሉን አቀፍ | ||
The word ሁሉን አቀፍ, meaning 'comprehensive' in Amharic, has a broader semantic range than its English cognate, and can refer to anything that encompasses all aspects of a subject or topic. | |||
Hausa | m | ||
"M" (comprehensive) is also the Hausa word for 'name' and 'place'. | |||
Igbo | keukwu | ||
The Igbo word "keukwu" can also mean "entire" or "all-encompassing". | |||
Malagasy | feno | ||
The word "feno" also means "to cover" or "to be covered" in Malagasy. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | mokwanira | ||
Mokwanira is a compound word derived from Kuwona and Kukwanira, meaning 'to see' and 'to understand' respectively, hence 'comprehensive'. | |||
Shona | nzwisisika | ||
The Shona word 'nzwisisika' also means 'to be thorough' or 'to be complete'. | |||
Somali | dhameystiran | ||
Dhameystiran, meaning "complete" or "thorough", can also refer to a person who is "trustworthy" or "reliable" in Somali. | |||
Sesotho | akaretsang | ||
Derived from the prefix 'a-' and the verb stem '-ka-' meaning 'to do; to make; to create', 'akaretsang' also means 'making an effort', 'endeavouring' or 'attempting to do something'. | |||
Swahili | kina | ||
The word "kina" in Swahili can also refer to the totality of something or the general sense of a matter. | |||
Xhosa | banzi | ||
In Xhosa, the word "banzi" is said to originate from "banzela", meaning "to take up all of space" or "to fill to capacity". | |||
Yoruba | okeerẹ | ||
"Okeere," meaning "comprehensive," also refers to the broad river dividing Ede from Ejigbo in Osun State, Nigeria. | |||
Zulu | olunzulu | ||
Olunzulu can also mean 'full' or 'thorough' in isiZulu, highlighting its multifaceted nature. | |||
Bambara | famuyalen | ||
Ewe | de blibo | ||
Kinyarwanda | byuzuye | ||
Lingala | ya mobimba | ||
Luganda | kirimu bulikimu | ||
Sepedi | kwešišegago | ||
Twi (Akan) | nteaseɛ | ||
Arabic | شامل | ||
The word "شامل" is derived from the Arabic root "ش م ل" (sha-mi-la), meaning "to encompass" or "to include." | |||
Hebrew | מַקִיף | ||
The Hebrew word "מַקִיף" (comprehensive) derives from the root "קָפַף" (surround), suggesting something that encircles or embraces all aspects. | |||
Pashto | هر اړخيز | ||
The Pashto word "هر اړخيز" is derived from the Persian word "هر" meaning "all" and "اړخ" meaning "side". | |||
Arabic | شامل | ||
The word "شامل" is derived from the Arabic root "ش م ل" (sha-mi-la), meaning "to encompass" or "to include." |
Albanian | gjithëpërfshirëse | ||
The word "gjithëpërfshirëse" originates from the Greek word "πανκαταληπτική" (pancataleptic), meaning "all-embracing" or "universally applicable". | |||
Basque | integrala | ||
“Integrala” was used in the Middle Ages to refer to a list of goods in a will. | |||
Catalan | integral | ||
In Catalan, the word "integral" has a separate meaning, referring to the sum of all parts that make up a whole. | |||
Croatian | sveobuhvatan | ||
The word 'sveobuhvatan' is derived from 'sve' (all) and 'obuhvatati' (to encompass), and it can also mean 'global' or 'universal'. | |||
Danish | omfattende | ||
In addition, its meaning has expanded to refer to something "deep" and "thorough". | |||
Dutch | uitgebreid | ||
The Dutch word "uitgebreid" is an adjective, meaning "comprehensive, extensive or far-reaching". It is derived from the verb "uitbreiden", meaning "to expand, enlarge or increase". | |||
English | comprehensive | ||
Origin: from Latin "comprehendere," to grasp. | |||
French | complet | ||
In French, the word "complet" can also mean "full" or "finished". | |||
Frisian | wiidweidich | ||
The word "wiidweidich" in Frisian derives from the Old Frisian word "wīd", meaning "wide" or "extensive". | |||
Galician | comprensivo | ||
In Galician, "comprensivo" may also refer to a comprehensive view of something, which includes both its positive and negative aspects. | |||
German | umfassend | ||
The German word "umfassend" is derived from the verb "umfassen", which can also mean "to embrace" or "to include." | |||
Icelandic | alhliða | ||
An alternate meaning is "full of joints or articulation", likely stemming from "hlið" (side) | |||
Irish | cuimsitheach | ||
Cuimsitheach is derived from the Irish word 'cuimse,' meaning 'memory' or 'remembrance,' and literally translates to 'having memory' or 'remembering well'. | |||
Italian | completo | ||
The Italian word "completo" comes from the Latin word "completus" which means "full" or "whole." | |||
Luxembourgish | ëmfaassend | ||
Maltese | komprensiv | ||
The word 'komprensiv' in Maltese originates from the French word 'compréhensif', meaning 'comprehensive' or 'inclusive'. | |||
Norwegian | omfattende | ||
The Norwegian word "omfattende" shares the same root as "umfangreich" in German, which literally means "embracing". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | compreensivo | ||
In Portuguese, the word "compreensivo" can also mean "sympathetic" or "understanding". | |||
Scots Gaelic | coileanta | ||
"Coileanta" can also mean "collecting" or "gathering" in Scots Gaelic. | |||
Spanish | exhaustivo | ||
"Exhaustivo" derives from the Latin "exhaurire" meaning "to draw out" or "to drain off". | |||
Swedish | omfattande | ||
It comes from the Swedish words "om" (around) and "fatta" (to grasp), and so essentially means "to grasp all around". | |||
Welsh | cynhwysfawr | ||
The word "cynhwysfawr" in Welsh can also refer to a "comprehensive summary" or a "concise abridgement". |
Belarusian | комплексны | ||
Комплексний is also used as a term in mathematics to refer to 'complex' numbers. | |||
Bosnian | sveobuhvatan | ||
The word "sveobuhvatan" is derived from the words "sve" (all) and "obuhvatan" (encompassing). It can also mean "thorough" or "inclusive". | |||
Bulgarian | изчерпателен | ||
The word "изчерпателен" comes from "изчeрпя", meaning "to exhaust". Therefore, an "изчерпателен" text exhausts, or covers, the topic entirely. | |||
Czech | obsáhlý | ||
The word "obsáhlý" comes from the Old Czech word "obsáhati", meaning "to encompass" or "to contain". | |||
Estonian | terviklik | ||
The word "terviklik" comes from the word "terve," which means "whole" or "entirety." | |||
Finnish | kattava | ||
The word "kattava" can also mean "comprehensive coverage" or "an extensive range" in Finnish. | |||
Hungarian | átfogó | ||
Át- and fog- are prefixes and suffixes that mean 'across' and 'cover' or 'contain', respectively, so the word át-fog-ó literally means 'cross-cover' or 'all-inclusive'. | |||
Latvian | aptverošs | ||
The word "aptverošs" has Proto-Baltic and Proto-Indo-European roots, related to words for "to take" and "to cover." | |||
Lithuanian | visapusiškas | ||
The word "visapusiškas" in Lithuanian is derived from the words "visa pusė", meaning "all sides", and is sometimes also used to refer to something that is "all-round" or "complete". | |||
Macedonian | сеопфатна | ||
Derived from Old Church Slavonic (длъгъ 'debt' + въздати 'return'), сеопфатна initially meant 'reimbursement for a debt'. | |||
Polish | wszechstronny | ||
The Polish word "wszechstronny" comes from the Old Slavonic word "vьsь", meaning "all", and "strana", meaning "side" or "direction". It originally meant "turning in all directions" or "versatile", and its meaning has evolved over time to mean "comprehensive". | |||
Romanian | cuprinzător | ||
The word "cuprinzător" comes from the Latin "comprehendere", which means "to seize or grasp". | |||
Russian | всеобъемлющий | ||
In Slavic languages, the prefix | |||
Serbian | обиман | ||
Serbian "обиман" can mean "comprehensive", "abundant", or "voluminous", all of which relate to the idea of "a lot". | |||
Slovak | obsiahly | ||
The word "obsiahly" originated from the Proto-Slavic word "*obъsijati", meaning "to encompass", "to embrace". | |||
Slovenian | celovit | ||
The word "celovit" is derived from "celota" meaning "wholeness" or "totality" in Slovenian. | |||
Ukrainian | всебічний | ||
The term "всебічний" is a direct borrowing from Russian (where it means "comprehensive, complete"). |
Bengali | বিস্তৃত | ||
The word "বিস্তৃত" is derived from the Sanskrit word "विस्तृत" (vistR^ita), which means "extended, spread out, or detailed". | |||
Gujarati | વ્યાપક | ||
“વ્યાપક” means “common”, “general”, “extensive”, “unrestricted” | |||
Hindi | व्यापक | ||
While व्यापक is usually translated in English as "comprehensive," its root word "व्याप्" actually means "to extend," and thus can also refer to "spread" or "expansion." | |||
Kannada | ಸಮಗ್ರ | ||
The word "samāgra" derives from the Sanskrit word "samagrah," which also means "whole" or "entire." | |||
Malayalam | സമഗ്രമായ | ||
The word 'സമഗ്രമായ' comes from the Sanskrit word 'सम्' (sam), meaning 'together', and 'ग्रह' (grah), meaning 'to grasp' or 'to take hold'. Therefore, 'സമഗ്രമായ' literally means 'to grasp or take hold together', or 'to comprehend'. It can also mean 'thorough' or 'complete'. | |||
Marathi | सर्वसमावेशक | ||
The word सर्वसमावेशक originates from the Sanskrit word सर्वसमावेश, which means 'all-encompassing' or 'inclusive'. | |||
Nepali | व्यापक | ||
The word 'व्यापक' comes from the Sanskrit word 'वि' ('apart') and 'आप' ('to reach'), meaning 'to reach everywhere' or 'to spread widely'. | |||
Punjabi | ਵਿਆਪਕ | ||
The word 'ਵਿਆਪਕ' in Punjabi, derived from Sanskrit, also means 'widespread' or 'pervading', capturing the broader implications of being inclusive or thorough. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | විස්තීර්ණ | ||
Tamil | விரிவான | ||
The word "விரிவான" is derived from the Tamil word "விரிவு", which means "expansive" or "extensive." | |||
Telugu | సమగ్ర | ||
The word 'సమగ్ర' (comprehensive) derives from Sanskrit and can also mean 'thorough', 'complete', or 'all-embracing'. | |||
Urdu | وسیع | ||
The word originates from the Arabic word "wasia" meaning "to be wide" or "to be spacious". |
Chinese (Simplified) | 全面 | ||
The character 面 in 全面 also suggests the concept of a 'plane.' | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 全面 | ||
"全面" can also refer to a military or strategic context, implying surrounding and overwhelming an enemy from all directions. | |||
Japanese | 包括的 | ||
The word "包括的" can also mean "inclusive" or "all-encompassing" in Japanese. | |||
Korean | 포괄적 인 | ||
'포괄적'은 '포괄'에서 유래했으며, '모든 것을 포함하는' 또는 '전반적인'을 의미합니다. | |||
Mongolian | цогц | ||
"Цогц" not only means "comprehensive" but also refers to the "top button" on a Mongolian deel, the traditional Mongolian gown. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | ပြည့်စုံသော | ||
Indonesian | luas | ||
The word “luas” can also refer to the size of a geographical area or a piece of land. | |||
Javanese | jangkep | ||
"Jangkep" originates from "jangka" (compass) and "ap" (limit), thus implying something complete and well-rounded. | |||
Khmer | ទូលំទូលាយ | ||
The Khmer word "ទូលំទូលាយ" does not have alternate meanings. It is only used to mean "comprehensive." | |||
Lao | ທີ່ສົມບູນແບບ | ||
Malay | menyeluruh | ||
The root of the Malay word "menyeluruh" is from the Sanskrit word "sarwa", meaning "all" or "entire." | |||
Thai | ครอบคลุม | ||
The word "ครอบคลุม" ("comprehensive") in Thai also has the meaning of "to envelop", "to cover", or "to encompass". | |||
Vietnamese | toàn diện | ||
The word "toàn diện" is of Chinese-Vietnamese origin, with "toàn” translating into "all, entire" in English, and "diện" translating into "field, area, aspect, side". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | komprehensibo | ||
Azerbaijani | hərtərəfli | ||
The word "hərtərəfli" in Azerbaijani comes from the Persian word "har taräfli" meaning "all-sided". | |||
Kazakh | жан-жақты | ||
The word "жан-жақты" in Kazakh is also used to describe something that is "well-rounded" or "versatile." | |||
Kyrgyz | ар тараптуу | ||
In Kyrgyz, "ар тараптуу" can also refer to something that is wide-ranging or all-encompassing. | |||
Tajik | ҳамаҷониба | ||
The word "ҳамаҷониба" in Tajik comes from the Persian word "hama-janiba", which literally means "all-sided". | |||
Turkmen | hemmetaraplaýyn | ||
Uzbek | keng qamrovli | ||
Uyghur | ئەتراپلىق | ||
Hawaiian | laulā | ||
As one of several Polynesian cognates, | |||
Maori | matawhānui | ||
The word 'matawhānui' originates from 'mata' ('eye') and 'whānui' ('broad'), referring to a wide field of view or understanding. | |||
Samoan | lautele | ||
The Samoan word "lautele" can also refer to "knowledge, wisdom, or understanding". | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | komprehensibo | ||
"Komprehensibo" comes from the Spanish word "comprensivo" which also means perceptive and thoughtful. |
Aymara | taqpacha | ||
Guarani | kũmbykuaa | ||
Esperanto | ampleksa | ||
Latin | comprehensive | ||
The Latin root 'comprehendo' means both 'to seize' and 'to understand', hinting at a deeper connection between physical and intellectual grasp. |
Greek | περιεκτικός | ||
The Greek word "περιεκτικός" (periektikos) literally means "containing all" or "inclusive". | |||
Hmong | kev muaj txhij txhua | ||
The word "kev muaj txhij txhua" in Hmong can also be used to describe a person with a multifaceted skillset or a situation with multiple components. | |||
Kurdish | giştane | ||
"Giştane" also means "thoroughly, perfectly" in Kurdish. | |||
Turkish | kapsamlı | ||
The word "kapsamlı" in Turkish is derived from the Arabic word "comprehensive" and can also mean "complete" or "inclusive". | |||
Xhosa | banzi | ||
In Xhosa, the word "banzi" is said to originate from "banzela", meaning "to take up all of space" or "to fill to capacity". | |||
Yiddish | פולשטענדיק | ||
The Yiddish word "פולשטענדיק" is derived from the German word "vollständig," which also means "comprehensive". In addition to its literal meaning, "פולשטענדיק" can also be used figuratively to describe someone who is thorough or complete in their work. | |||
Zulu | olunzulu | ||
Olunzulu can also mean 'full' or 'thorough' in isiZulu, highlighting its multifaceted nature. | |||
Assamese | বিস্তৃত | ||
Aymara | taqpacha | ||
Bhojpuri | व्यापक | ||
Dhivehi | ކޮމްޕްރިހެންސިވް | ||
Dogri | व्यापक | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | komprehensibo | ||
Guarani | kũmbykuaa | ||
Ilocano | komprehensibo | ||
Krio | kpatakpata | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | گشتگیر | ||
Maithili | बिस्तरीत | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯨꯝꯅꯃꯛ ꯁꯨꯕ | ||
Mizo | huapzo | ||
Oromo | hunda haammataa | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ବିସ୍ତୃତ | ||
Quechua | hamutana | ||
Sanskrit | सामासिक | ||
Tatar | комплекслы | ||
Tigrinya | ኣጠቓላሊ | ||
Tsonga | xitwalana | ||