Gross

Gross is an English term with several related meanings. As an adjective, it can signify largeness or coarseness, and in the sense of scale it is used in phrases such as gross weight or gross income. The word derives from Old French gros, meaning thick or large, itself from Latin grossus. A further meaning, colloquially, is something unpleasant or repulsive, and in that sense one might exclaim “gross!”

In business and economics, gross indicates totals before deductions. Gross income is total earnings before taxes and other withholdings. Gross domestic product (GDP) measures the total value of goods and services produced within a country. Gross revenue is the total sales a company makes; gross profit is revenue minus cost of goods sold; gross margin is gross profit as a percentage of revenue. In logistics, gross weight includes packaging, while net weight excludes it.

Anatomy and medicine use gross to mean visible to the naked eye, as in gross anatomy or gross examination of tissue, contrasted with microscopic study. The term also appears in legal and technical phrases such as gross negligence, where it signals a high degree of fault.

Gross is also a surname of Germanic origin, borne by numerous individuals. The word’s varied uses reflect its core sense of total size or bulk, often contrasted with net or refined values. In everyday language, the term spans measurements, economics, anatomy, and expressions of disapproval, maintaining a common thread of overall magnitude or visibility.