economy sizen.adj.
/ᵻˈkɒnəmɪ ˌsʌɪz/, U.S. /ᵻˈkɑnəmi ˌsaɪz/ Originally U.S. (chiefly Advertising).
A. n.
A size (usually the largest in a series) sold as representing the best value for money for the customer; also in extended use.
ΚΠ
1916 Delta (Pa.) Herald & Times 29 Sept. 1/3 ‘Rough on Rats’ ends rats... Unbeatable exterminator... Economy size 25c.
1943 New Yorker 23 Oct. 25/2 (caption) I imagine what you'd be more interested in, though, is our economy size—a tank-carfull at $21,600.
1957 P. G. Wodehouse Over Seventy v. 65 It was a bear. And not a small bear either. One of the large economy size.
1966 H. W. Yoxall Fashion of Life xiv. 134 The small tube [of shaving cream] is called ‘large’,..we have a medium tube called ‘king size’, and a large tube called ‘economy size’.
a1989 A. Gurganus White People (1991) 230 I got her a a big Merita angel cake and, for Dad, the giant economy size of Vick's Vap-O-Rub.
2005 Independent 3 Nov. 41/2 Sales and Marketing bullshit... Economy size (np. and adj.). Bloody huge.
B. adj.
Of an economy size.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > largeness > [adjective]
unlittleeOE
mickleeOE
greateOE
mucha1154
mainc1275
boldc1300
fadec1330
largec1392
tallc1430
big1444
masterfula1450
grand1452
largy1558
fine1590
bonnya1600
large-sized1628
roomly1682
lumping?1706
maun1743
strapping1827
barn door1829
serious1843
jumboesque1893
jumbo1897
economy-sized1930
L1942
jumbo-size1949
economy size1950
1950 R. P. Bissell Stretch on River xix. 185 The only trouble with the economy size tube of shaving cream is that it takes up more room in the valise than a pair of rubber boots.
1955 N.Y. Herald-Tribune 12 Nov. Lou Gehrig had just hit a large economy-size home run into the right-field bleachers.
1958 Times Lit. Suppl. 23 May 281/3 Another giant, economy-size book about the hard lot of Scandinavian females in the bad old days!
1962 Punch 21 Nov. 746/2 The economy-size golfer only needs a nearby course and a green-fee.
1981 J. Friedman Tales of Time Square (1986) 104 It is an economy-size, middle-class, bastardization of an Arabian sultan's orgy room.
1996 D. F. Wallace Infinite Jest 113 The large and economy-size clue.
Derivatives
eˈconomy-sized adj. = B.
ΚΠ
1930 Anniston (Alabama) Star 29 July 7/6 This dainty cream deodorant banishes all body odors. Large, economy-sized sanitary tubes 36c.
1953 Harper's Mag. Mar. 100 [His] mother..treats him as something between a lapel ornament, a trained marmoset, and an economy-sized male escort.
1962 L. Deighton Ipcress File vi. 36 Economy-sized cafés.
2000 I. Pattison Stranger here Myself (2001) viii. 257 If I could only take myself away till memory faded.., then maybe I'd be safe. I knew it was a large economy-sized maybe.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.adj.1916