Hi there,
What is the difference, if any, between “good appetite” and “big appetite”?
Aikamama
A good appetite can merely be a healthy appetite. A big appetite can either be a healthy appetite for a growing child, or an excessive appetite for a person who eats too much.
Thank you, Jamie! Your explanation has cleared my confusion!
The English language, like any other language I would assume, has many nuances (many subtle differences, many slight differences). A lot would depend what preceded that statement, or what the whole conversation was about.
But, by just looking at the example you have given, I would say “good” appetite means that that person is eating just like most people eat. His hunger is normal and eats as much food as most people do when they are not ill.
“Big” appetite would indicated he eats a lot more than what the average person eats. It just describes the intensity of his appetite.
Hope that made sense.
True. But a person can have a “big appetite” because he’s fat and eats a lot, or he can have a “big appetite” because he works or trains hard.