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

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 notes

In plain EnglishExtremely large — bigger than "huge" or "massive," almost comically so.

Common pairings

gargantuan task gargantuan appetite gargantuan effort

Word forms

more gargantuan comparative, most gargantuan superlative

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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.

· First attested 1500

Class of 1500 gargantuan joined the language around 1500.

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Rhymes for gargantuan

Juan tuan yuan duan ruan guan Luan Quan Kuan Sichuan

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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.