Broad means wide from side to side, or covering a large area. It can also mean general rather than detailed, as in a broad idea or broad agreement.
From Old English “brād” meaning “wide.” It is related to other Germanic words that describe width and openness.
“Broad” started as a physical idea—how wide a road or river is—and then stretched into abstract things like “broad knowledge.” Your brain reuses the same mental picture of space to understand big ideas, not just big objects.
“Broad” has been used as a slang term for a woman since the early 20th century, often with dismissive or objectifying undertones in male-dominated spaces. This usage reflects and reinforces sexist attitudes.
Avoid using “broad” to refer to women. Use it only in neutral senses like “broad range” or “broad perspective,” where it does not denote a person.
["woman","person","broad range","wide scope"]
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