1728, "everywhere," from all + round (adj.). The meaning "able to do many things well, versatile" is from 1867. Also sometimes all-around. All-rounder is from 1855 as a type of men's collar; 1875 as "person who is good at everything."

1728, "to make better," in some cases perhaps a back-formation from amelioration on pattern of French améliorer, or else from Medieval Latin amelioratus, past participle of ameliorare. The intransitive sense of "grow better" is by 1789. The simpler form meliorate was used in Middle English. Related: Ameliorated; ameliorating; ameliorable.

"without a name, in an anonymous manner," 1728, from anonymous + -ly (2).

"huge, immense, gigantic," 1728, from Brobdingnag + -ian.

"having the form of a column; of or pertaining to a column," 1728, from Late Latin columnaris "rising in the form of a pillar," from columna "column" (see column).

alloy of copper that contains nickel, used in coinage, etc., 1728; see copper (n.1) + nickel.

"very hard mineral" (crystalline aluminum oxide) used for grinding and polishing other gems, steel, etc., 1728, from Anglo-Indian, from Tamil (Dravidian) kurundam "ruby sapphire" (Sanskrit kuruvinda), which is of unknown origin. It is a dull or opaque variety of sapphire, amethyst, ruby, and topaz; in hardness it is next to diamond.

also cyclopaedia, 1728, a shortening of encyclopedia. Related: Encyclopedic, encyclopaedic.

"blind tube" (anatomical), 1728, from Modern Latin, from Latin deverticulum "a bypath," from devertere "to turn aside" (see divert). Related: Diverticulitis (1900).

string instrument, the largest and deepest instrument of the viol family, by 1728; see double (adj.) + bass (n.2).