[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/comprehensive/)

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# comprehensive

adjective (comprehensive; more comprehensive, most comprehensive); noun (UK: a comprehensive, comprehensives)

«comprehensive» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Including everything or almost everything that is needed; complete and thorough: «a comprehensive guide to birds». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comprehensive/#m1)
2. (UK) A comprehensive school is a state secondary school that takes children of all abilities without an entrance test; people often just say «a comprehensive». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comprehensive/#m2)
3. (sport) A comprehensive win is a very big, clear win. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comprehensive/#m3)
4. (insurance) Comprehensive car insurance covers damage to your own car as well as to other people's. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comprehensive/#m4)

### In the lessons

In school it describes complete revision notes, a thorough test or a full report. In the UK most secondary pupils go to a comprehensive, unlike grammar schools that need an exam (the 11-plus). In news and sport: «a comprehensive victory». Phrases: «a comprehensive list», «comprehensive school», «comprehensive review», «comprehensive coverage».

### Examples

- This book is a comprehensive guide to the planets. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comprehensive/#x1)
- My big sister goes to the local comprehensive. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comprehensive/#x2)
- The teacher gave us a comprehensive list of spellings to learn. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comprehensive/#x3)
- City won a comprehensive victory, six–nil. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comprehensive/#x4)
- The museum has a comprehensive collection of fossils. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comprehensive/#x5)
- Dad needs comprehensive insurance for his new car. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comprehensive/#x6)
- Our science report must be comprehensive and include every result. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comprehensive/#x7)

### Note

Do not confuse with «comprehensible» (easy to understand) or «comprehension» (understanding what you read, as in a reading comprehension test). Comprehensive means complete, not easy. Spelled with -sive, not -sife.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «comprehensive» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comprehensive/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«comprehensive» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/comprehensive.html) on Mova free.