adj
gargantuan
gah-GAN-choo-uhn
Gargantuan (adj) means Enormous in size, extent, or amount. Example: “The company racked up gargantuan losses in its first year.”
adj
1
Enormous in size, extent, or amount.
"The company racked up gargantuan losses in its first year."
"He tackled a gargantuan plate of pasta without pausing for breath."
How to use gargantuan
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishExtremely large — bigger than "huge" or "massive," almost comically so.
Common pairings
gargantuan task
gargantuan appetite
gargantuan effort
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more gargantuan
- Superlative
- most gargantuan
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The company racked up _____ losses in its first year.
Etymology
From Gargantua, the giant with an enormous appetite in Rabelais's 16th-century satirical novel.
Class of 1500
gargantuan joined the language around 1500.
See the full Class of 1500 →
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for gargantuan
See all rhymes for gargantuan →Frequently asked questions
What does “gargantuan” mean?
The word “gargantuan” means enormous in size, extent, or amount. In plain terms, extremely large — bigger than "huge" or "massive," almost comically so.
How do you pronounce “gargantuan”?
“Gargantuan” is pronounced gah-GAN-choo-uhn (/ɡɑɹˈɡæn.t͡ʃu.ən/ in IPA).
How do you use “gargantuan” in a sentence?
Here is “gargantuan” used in a sentence: “The company racked up gargantuan losses in its first year.”
What part of speech is “gargantuan”?
“Gargantuan” is an adjective.
Where does the word “gargantuan” come from?
The word “gargantuan” dates back to around 1500. From Gargantua, the giant with an enormous appetite in Rabelais's 16th-century satirical novel.
