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Across-the-board
متوسّع (mutawassi') is an Arabic adjective meaning 'expanded,' 'broad,' or 'across-the-board.' It describes something that has been widened, extended, or applied comprehensively across multiple areas or sectors. This word conveys a sense of wide-ranging scope and inclusive application rather than limitation to a single area.
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أعلنت الحكومة عن برنامج متوسّع لتطوير البنية التحتية.
Aʻlant al-ḥukūmah ʻan barnāmaj mutawassi' li-taṭwīr al-binā' al-taḥtiyyah.
The government announced a broad program for developing infrastructure.
بدأت الشركة في توزيع منتجاتها بشكل متوسّع في السوق العربية.
Badaʼat al-sharikah fī tawzīʻ muntajātihā bi-shakl mutawassi' fī al-sūq al-ʻarabiyyah.
The company began distributing its products broadly throughout the Arab market.
تشهد المنطقة نموّاً متوسّعاً في قطاع التكنولوجيا.
Tashhad al-minṭiqah namuwwan mutawassi'an fī qiṭāʻ al-teknūlūjiyā.
The region is experiencing across-the-board growth in the technology sector.
استقطبت الجامعة طلابها من خلال حملة متوسّعة.
Istaqṭabat al-jāmiʻah ṭullābahā min khilāl ḥamlah mutawassi'ah.
The university attracted its students through a comprehensive campaign.
تطبيق القانون الجديد سيكون متوسّعاً في جميع الولايات.
Taṭbīq al-qānūn al-jadīd sayakūn mutawassi'an fī jamīʻ al-wilāyāt.
The implementation of the new law will be across-the-board in all states.
In Arabic business and political discourse, the term متوسّع is frequently used to describe economic policies, development initiatives, and institutional reforms that aim to serve broader populations. It reflects a cultural emphasis on inclusivity and universal access to services and opportunities. The word is commonly heard in media discussions about government programs and corporate expansion strategies across the Arab world.
Remember that متوسّع is primarily an adjective that modifies nouns and must agree with them in gender and number (متوسّعة for feminine singular, متوسّعون for masculine plural, etc.). It's often used with nouns like برنامج (program), حملة (campaign), or سياسة (policy). Be careful not to confuse it with other forms of the same root; متوسّط means 'medium/average,' while متوسّع specifically conveys expansion or broadness.
متوسّع (mutawassi') is an Arabic adjective derived from the root و-س-ع (w-s-'), which relates to concepts of breadth, width, and expansion. Unlike its similarly-sounding counterpart متوسّط (mutawassiṭ), which means 'average' or 'medium,' متوسّع specifically conveys the sense of something that has been widened, expanded, or made broad in scope. It translates to 'across-the-board,' 'comprehensive,' 'broad,' or 'expanded' depending on context.
As an adjective, متوسّع must agree with its noun in both gender and number. The feminine singular form is متوسّعة (mutawassi'ah), the masculine plural is متوسّعون (mutawassi'ūn), and the feminine plural is متوسّعات (mutawassi'āt). For example:
متوسّع is commonly used in contemporary Arabic media, business, and political discourse to describe initiatives, policies, and programs that have wide-ranging applications. It frequently appears in news reports about:
Government Programs: Government announcements often describe initiatives using this term to convey universal coverage or broad application across different sectors or regions.
Corporate Expansion: Companies use it when describing market penetration, distribution networks, or product rollouts across multiple countries or demographic segments.
Infrastructure Development: Development projects are frequently described with this term to indicate comprehensive scope and widespread benefits.
Understanding the word family helps learners appreciate nuances:
Learners often confuse متوسّع with متوسّط. The key distinction is:
In Arab societies, the concept expressed by متوسّع reflects cultural values around inclusivity and universal access. Government and institutional announcements frequently emphasize broad, across-the-board approaches rather than narrowly targeted ones. When officials describe a 'متوسّع' policy, it signals intention to benefit or reach diverse populations rather than limiting benefits to specific groups.
In business contexts: "توزيع متوسّع" (broad distribution) indicates a company's intent to make products available throughout multiple markets.
In policy contexts: "برنامج متوسّع" (comprehensive program) suggests government support across various sectors or regions.
In educational contexts: "حملة متوسّعة" (comprehensive campaign) might describe university recruitment efforts reaching diverse student populations.
متوسّع frequently appears with specific nouns:
To internalize this word effectively, learners should practice recognizing it in context within news articles, official announcements, and business communications. Note how it functions as an adjective modifying nouns in various contexts, and practice forming sentences using it with different noun genders and numbers. Comparing it with antonyms like ضيّق (narrow) and محدود (limited) helps clarify its positive implications regarding scope and inclusivity.