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noun Uncommon

Godzilla

god-ZIH-luh

Godzilla (noun) means a giant, fire-breathing movie monster from Japanese films, and by extension anything huge and destructive of its kind. Example: “The new skyscraper looms over downtown like Godzilla.”

noun
1
A giant, fire-breathing movie monster from Japanese films, and by extension anything huge and destructive of its kind.
"The new skyscraper looms over downtown like Godzilla."
"His temper turns Godzilla the moment someone mentions the mortgage."

How to use Godzilla

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishOriginally a movie monster; now used loosely for anything enormous, powerful, or hard to stop.

Common pairings
like Godzilla a Godzilla of a storm

Word forms

Godzillas plural

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The new skyscraper looms over downtown like _____.

Etymology

From Japanese Gojira, a blend of gorira ("gorilla") and kujira ("whale"), invented for the 1954 film.

Origin: Japanese · First attested 1954

Class of 1954 Godzilla joined the language around 1954.
See the full Class of 1954 →

Rhymes for Godzilla

See all rhymes for Godzilla →

Frequently asked questions

What does “Godzilla” mean?

The word “Godzilla” means a giant, fire-breathing movie monster from Japanese films, and by extension anything huge and destructive of its kind. In plain terms, originally a movie monster; now used loosely for anything enormous, powerful, or hard to stop.

How do you pronounce “Godzilla”?

“Godzilla” is pronounced god-ZIH-luh (/ɡɑdˈzɪlə/ in IPA).

How do you use “Godzilla” in a sentence?

Here is “Godzilla” used in a sentence: “The new skyscraper looms over downtown like Godzilla.”

What part of speech is “Godzilla”?

“Godzilla” is a noun.

Where does the word “Godzilla” come from?

The word “Godzilla” dates back to around 1954 and comes from Japanese. From Japanese Gojira, a blend of gorira ("gorilla") and kujira ("whale"), invented for the 1954 film.

Is “Godzilla” a common word?

“Godzilla” is an uncommon word in modern English.

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