adjective
Uncommon
colossal
kuh-LO-suhl
Colossal (adjective) means Extremely large in size or scale. Example: “The company suffered a colossal loss after the product recall.”
adjective
1
Extremely large in size or scale.
"A single puppy can make a colossal mess."
"The company suffered a colossal loss after the product recall."
"They built a colossal statue at the entrance to the stadium."
How to use colossal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHuge — used for anything impressively, sometimes overwhelmingly, large.
Common pairings
colossal failure
colossal size
colossal waste
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more colossal
- Superlative
- most colossal
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The company suffered a _____ loss after the product recall.
Etymology
From French colossal, from Latin colossus, from Greek kolossos, "giant statue."
Synonyms
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Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “colossal” mean?
The word “colossal” means extremely large in size or scale. In plain terms, huge — used for anything impressively, sometimes overwhelmingly, large.
How do you pronounce “colossal”?
“Colossal” is pronounced kuh-LO-suhl (/kəˈlɑsəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “colossal” in a sentence?
Here is “colossal” used in a sentence: “The company suffered a colossal loss after the product recall.”
What part of speech is “colossal”?
“Colossal” is an adjective.
Where does the word “colossal” come from?
The word “colossal” comes from Latin. From French colossal, from Latin colossus, from Greek kolossos, "giant statue.".
Is “colossal” a common word?
“Colossal” is an uncommon word in modern English.
