giant
JEYE-uhnt
Giant (noun) means a legendary humanlike being of enormous size and strength. Example: “In the fairy tale, a giant lived at the top of the beanstalk.”
noun
1
A legendary humanlike being of enormous size and strength.
"In the fairy tale, a giant lived at the top of the beanstalk."
"The old story tells of a giant who crushed mountains with his fists."
"Children gasped as the giant stepped over the village in the puppet show."
2
A person or thing that is exceptionally large, powerful, or important in its field.
"The company became a giant of the tech industry."
"He's a giant of modern literature."
"She is a giant among chefs, admired by cooks across the country."
adjective
1
Extremely large.
"They served us a giant plate of nachos."
"A giant wave rolled towards the beach and the swimmers hurried out."
"We built a giant snowman taller than the garden fence."
How to use giant
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething or someone of huge size, or figuratively, hugely important or dominant in its field.
Common pairings
a corporate giant
giant leap
gentle giant
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Word forms
- Plural
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In the fairy tale, a _____ lived at the top of the beanstalk.
Etymology
From Old French geant, ultimately from Latin gigas and Ancient Greek gigas ("giant"), the same root that gives us "giga-" for a billion.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for giant
See all rhymes for giant →Frequently asked questions
What does “giant” mean?
The word “giant” means a legendary humanlike being of enormous size and strength. In plain terms, something or someone of huge size, or figuratively, hugely important or dominant in its field.
How do you pronounce “giant”?
“Giant” is pronounced JEYE-uhnt (/ˈd͡ʒaɪ.ənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “giant” in a sentence?
Here is “giant” used in a sentence: “In the fairy tale, a giant lived at the top of the beanstalk.”
What is another word for “giant”?
Words with a similar meaning to “giant” include bulk, behemoth, Brobdingnagian, colossus, ettin and Goliath.
What is the opposite of “giant”?
The opposite of “giant” — its antonyms — are dwarf, elf and midget.
What part of speech is “giant”?
Depending on how it is used, “giant” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “giant” come from?
The word “giant” comes from Ancient Greek. From Old French geant, ultimately from Latin gigas and Ancient Greek gigas ("giant"), the same root that gives us "giga-" for a billion.
Is “giant” a common word?
“Giant” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between a giant and a titan?
In mythology a giant is a huge, humanlike being of great size and strength, often crude or menacing. Titans, from Greek myth, are a specific race of primordial deities who ruled before the Olympian gods. All titans are giant in scale, but not every giant is a titan — titan names a particular divine lineage.
What is an example of a giant?
Folklore and literature are full of them: Goliath, the towering warrior defeated by David; the giant in Jack and the Beanstalk; Norse frost giants; and the cyclops Polyphemus. Modern fantasy continues the tradition. Each shares the core traits — enormous size, great strength, and a broadly humanlike form.
Are giants real?
Giants as legendary beings are mythological, not real. However, unusually tall people exist due to conditions such as gigantism, and the word is also used figuratively for anything dominant — a tech giant, a giant of literature. The folklore creature, though, belongs to storytelling rather than the natural world.
What is the opposite of a giant?
In the sense of a legendary being, the usual counterpart is a dwarf — a small, humanlike figure of folklore. More broadly, opposites include a pygmy or simply a tiny creature. Figuratively, a giant in a field contrasts with a minnow or a small, insignificant player.
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