adj. Including much; comprising many things; having a wide scope or a full view. Having the power to comprehend or understand many things.
- (Zool.) Possessing peculiarities that are characteristic of several diverse groups. The term is applied chiefly to early fossil groups which have a combination of structures that appear in more fully developed or specialized forms in later groups. Synthetic, as used by Agassiz, is nearly synonymous.
Syn. - Extensive; wide; large; full; compendious.