big-ticket
adjective
- adjective Costly or expensive; having a high price. “Doing careful research before purchasing big-ticket items such as electronics, appliances, and automobiles can ensure that an investment lasts for many years.”
- adjective Of major importance or prominence.
Synonyms
Etymology
Emerged in the United States in the 1930s; refers directly to the literal paper price tags or receipts ("tickets") attached to retail goods; larger, more expensive purchases (like appliances, cars, or furniture) required more prominent, high-value price tags; over time, the phrase transitioned from describing the physical tag to figuratively describing the expensive item itself.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “big-ticket”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details