großskalige

Großskalige is an adjective in German describing something designed or occurring on a large scale. It applies to processes, structures, or projects that span wide areas, involve many components, or operate at high capacity. The form is declined as großskalige (feminine), großskaliger (masculine), or großskaliges (neuter) depending on the noun. The term derives from groß and a suffix related to Skalierung (scaling). It is common in technical, scientific, and planning contexts.

Contexts include urban planning and infrastructure (großskalige Infrastrukturprojekte), energy and industry (großskalige Wind- oder Solarparks), climate and earth sciences (großskalige Modelle, Simulationen), and economics (großskalige Investitionen). The expression contrasts with kleinskalige or kleinmaßstäbliche approaches, and with terms denoting smaller geographic or organizational scope.

Etymology and usage notes: the meaning is transparent—scale that is large. Related terms include Großmaßstab (large map scale) and Skalierung (scaling). In many fields, auf großem Maßstab is used as an adverbial form. The term is neutral and descriptive and should be used when a broad scale is intended.