broad

Broad is an English adjective meaning wide or expansive, and by extension, general or inclusive when describing scope. The word derives from Old English brād meaning wide and is cognate with German breit and Dutch breed. It is used for physical width (a broad river, broad shoulders), for extent or breadth of coverage (a broad range, a broad audience), and in idioms such as broad daylight or a broad spectrum. The adverb form is broadly, used to indicate generalization, and the noun usage is rare except in place names or titles.

In usage, broad often emphasizes overall extent or comprehensiveness rather than precise measurement, contrasting with wide in some contexts. It can convey openness or inclusivity, as in a broad-minded approach, and it appears in compounds such as broad-based or broadband, where the sense of width applies to systems, methods, or bandwidth. The term also appears in historical and religious contexts, for example in the phrase broad church to denote a liberal or broad-minded faction within a tradition.

Notable modern usage includes The Broad, a contemporary art museum in downtown Los Angeles, founded by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad and opened in 2015. The museum houses postwar and contemporary art and is notable for its architecture by Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Broad remains common in everyday language for describing anything with substantial width, extent, or inclusivity.