comprehensive

Etymology

Borrowed from late Middle French compréhensif, from Late Latin comprehēnsīvus, from Latin comprehendō.

adj

1. Broadly or completely covering; including a large proportion of something.
   When there are diametrically opposing views on a big issue that concerns millions of people, doing comprehensive research just makes sense.

noun

1. (Britain) A comprehensive school.
   Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16. Charging school fees is illegal, and so is sorting pupils into ability groups by streaming or setting. 2013-07-19, Peter Wilby, “Finland spreads word on schools”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 6, page 30