zahlreich

Zahlreich is a German adjective meaning "numerous" or "in large numbers." It describes a large quantity of people, objects, or events, without giving an exact count. The term emphasizes size and presence rather than precision, and it is more common in formal writing than in everyday speech.

Etymology: it is formed from Zahl ("number") and reich ("rich in" or "full of"), reflecting a common Germanic pattern of combining a number noun with the suffix -reich to express abundance.

Usage: zahlreich normally occurs before a plural noun in attributive position (zahlreiche Beispiele, zahlreiche Teilnehmer) or predicatively after a linking verb (Die Besucher waren zahlreich). In plural use, the attributive form takes zahlreiche with definite or indefinite determiners: die zahlreichen Studierenden, zahlreiche Belege. In predicative position it remains uninflected: Die Gruppen waren zahlreich. The word is regarded as fairly formal and is frequently found in journalism, academic writing, and descriptive prose.

Related terms: synonyms or near-synonyms include viele and zahlreiche, though each carries slightly different nuance. Zahlreich contrasts with more precise counts or with everyday language like "viele," offering a more formal emphasis on the magnitude rather than the exact number.