gigantic

gigantic — adjective

1. of a size or scale that is much greater than what is normal or expected, often c

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

of a size or scale that is much greater than what is normal or expected, often causing a feeling of wonder or surprise.

Example

A gigantic wave washed several tourists off the rocks in southern Thailand.

gigantic + concrete noun (wave, rock)

The logistics company built a gigantic warehouse outside of Ho Chi Minh City.

gigantic + noun (man-made structure)

Synonyms
  • enormous

    very similar in meaning; slightly more formal and often used with abstract nouns (enormous pressure, enormous impact)

  • huge

    the most common and neutral word for something very large; suitable in almost any context

  • colossal

    more dramatic than gigantic; often used for spectacular failures, ambitious projects, or disasters (a colossal mistake)

  • mammoth

    less formal; frequently describes large tasks, complex projects, or extinct animals (a mammoth undertaking)

Antonyms
  • tiny

    the most common opposite; describes something very small in size or amount

  • minuscule

    more formal than tiny; emphasises that something is extremely small

Usage Note

Gigantic is commonly used both before nouns (a gigantic building) and after linking verbs (the structure was gigantic). Because it already expresses an extreme degree, it rarely combines with 'very'; intensifiers such as 'absolutely' or 'truly' sound more natural.

Common Mistakes

This suitcase is very gigantic.
This suitcase is absolutely gigantic.
'Very' sounds unnatural with absolute adjectives such as 'gigantic'; use 'absolutely' or 'truly' instead.

Word family

  • giant
    nounB1
  • giant
    adjectiveB1
  • gigantically
    adverbC1
  • gigantism
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe something very large, but they differ in register and typical usage. Huge is the most common and neutral choice, suitable in almost any context — spoken or written. Enormous is slightly more formal and pairs well with both physical size and abstract scale (enormous pressure, enormous responsibility). Gigantic emphasises that something seems surprisingly or impressively large, often carrying a tone of wonder. Colossal is more dramatic and often used with spectacular failures or grand ambitions (a colossal error, a colossal project). Mammoth is the most informal and commonly describes large tasks or extinct animals (a mammoth cleanup operation). For everyday conversation, huge works best; for descriptive writing, gigantic and enormous add vividness without sounding exaggerated.

gigantic ↗enormous ↗huge ↗colossalmammoth

Common collocations

Nouns

  • gigantic wave
  • gigantic building
  • gigantic task
  • gigantic challenge
  • gigantic amount
  • gigantic effort
  • gigantic project
  • gigantic animal
  • gigantic statue
  • gigantic crane

Adverbs

  • absolutely gigantic
  • truly gigantic
  • seemingly gigantic
  • literally gigantic

Phrases

  • of gigantic proportions
  • on a gigantic scale

Prepositions

  • gigantic in size
  • gigantic in scale
  • gigantic in scope

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'gigantic' comes from the Latin 'gigas' (meaning 'giant'), combined with the suffix '-ic' to form an adjective. The Latin root itself was borrowed from the Greek 'gigas' (γίγας), which referred to the Giants of Greek mythology — enormous, powerful beings. The word entered English through French during the 17th century.