What does "giant" mean?
A mythical human of very great size.
Giant
/ˈd͡ʒaɪ.ənt/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A mythical human of very great size.
- Grammar: giant is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: behemoth, colossus, titan, giant star.
- Useful contrasts: gnomish, mini, miniature watering can.
- Usage evidence: Our firm is a giant one, and there are some rules and regulations, which should be revised or rescinded to reduce red tape and increase efficiency.
How to use "giant"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "giant" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "giant" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "giant" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "giant" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "giant" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "behemoth" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "giant", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A mythical human of very great size.
- 2 A player for the San Francisco Giants.
- 3 any creature of exceptional size wordnet
- 4 Specifically:; Any of the gigantes, the race of giants in the Greek mythology.
- 5 A player for the New York Giants.
Show 14 more definitions
- 6 an unusually large enterprise wordnet
- 7 Specifically:; An eoten or jotun.
"The giants also had been outlawed along with Satan because they had fought against god."
- 8 a very bright star of large diameter and low density (relative to the Sun) wordnet
- 9 A very tall and large person.
""It's barbarous, Norsus." "It's Rome," said the giant flatly."
- 10 an imaginary figure of superhuman size and strength; appears in folklore and fairy tales wordnet
- 11 A tall species of a particular animal or plant.
- 12 a person of exceptional importance and reputation wordnet
- 13 A star that is considerably more luminous than a main sequence star of the same temperature (e.g. red giant, blue giant).
- 14 someone that is abnormally large and powerful wordnet
- 15 An Ethernet packet that exceeds the medium's maximum packet size of 1,518 bytes.
- 16 a very large person; impressive in size or qualities wordnet
- 17 A very large organization.
"The retail giant is set to acquire two more struggling high-street chains."
- 18 A person of extraordinary strength or powers, bodily or intellectual.
"But then I had the flintlock by me for protection. ¶ There were giants in the days when that gun was made; for surely no modern mortal could have held that mass of metal steady to his shoulder. The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window[…]."
- 19 A maneuver involving a full rotation around an axis while fully extended.
Adjective
- 1 Very large. not-comparable
"The San Juan market is Mexico City's most famous deli of exotic meats, where an adventurous shopper can hunt down hard-to-find critters …. But the priciest items in the market aren't the armadillo steaks or even the bluefin tuna. That would be the frozen chicatanas – giant winged ants – at around $500 a kilo."
Adjective
- 1 of great mass; huge and bulky wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"Our firm is a giant one, and there are some rules and regulations, which should be revised or rescinded to reduce red tape and increase efficiency."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "giant"?
Common synonyms include: behemoth, colossus, titan, giant star, goliath, hulk.
How do you use "giant" in a sentence?
Our firm is a giant one, and there are some rules and regulations, which should be revised or rescinded to reduce red tape and increase efficiency.
How do you pronounce "giant"?
Pronounced /ˈd͡ʒaɪ.ənt/.
Etymology
From Middle English geaunt, geant, from Old French geant, gaiant (Modern French géant) from Vulgar Latin *gagās, gagant-, from Latin gigās, gigant-, from Ancient Greek γίγας (gígas, “giant”) Cognate to giga- (“1,000,000,000”). Displaced native Old English ent. Compare Modern English ent (“giant tree-man”).