The spelling of the word "whopping" comes from its pronunciation in Standard English. The IPA phonetic transcription of the word is /ˈwɒpɪŋ/ which shows that the 'w' sound is followed by the 'o' sound, a short 'p' sound, and then the 'ing' sound. It is important to note that the 'wh' sound is pronounced as a single sound, unlike in some other English words. The word "whopping" is an adjective meaning "extremely large or impressive."
Whopping is an adjective that signifies something extraordinary, astonishingly large, or remarkable in size, quantity, or impact. It is often employed to emphasize the magnitude or extent of a certain attribute, typically denoting an impressive or significant amount. This term is often used colloquially to convey a sense of surprise or amazement, highlighting an unexpectedly high degree of something.
The word whopping is most commonly used in relation to numerical figures, emphasizing an exceptional or immense value. For instance, a whopping increase in sales would indicate an extraordinary and remarkable surge in the number of products sold. Similarly, a whopping salary implies an astonishingly high or impressive income. This adjective also finds frequent use in describing physical dimensions or proportions. For instance, a whopping slice of cake suggests a remarkably large portion, exceeding what is customary or anticipated.
The term whopping can also be employed metaphorically to describe the impact, potency, or significance of an action or event. For example, a whopping success would denote a remarkable achievement or overwhelming triumph. In summary, this adjective amplifies the notion of grandiosity, enormity, or exceptional quality, whether it pertains to numbers, dimensions, or the overall effect of an entity.
Very large.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "whopping" originates from the Middle English word "whappened" or "whopped", which means "to thump or strike with a heavy blow". It is related to the Old Norse word "hvappa" or "hvoppa" meaning "to hit" or "smack". Over time, "whappened" transformed into "whopping", acquiring the sense of something tremendous, impressive, or large.