Gigantism

//d͡ʒaɪˈɡæntɪzəm// noun

noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The quality or state of being gigantic; being of abnormally large size. countable, uncountable
  2. 2
    excessive largeness of stature wordnet
  3. 3
    A condition where there is over-production of growth hormone by the pituitary gland in a child before the bone growth plates close, resulting in excessive long bone growth, accompanied by muscular weakness and sexual impotence. countable, uncountable

    "He [...] may have had a condition called gigantism that explained his notable height."

  4. 4
    excessive size; usually caused by excessive secretion of growth hormone from the pituitary gland wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
giantismabandonamplitudebulkenormityexaggeration

Example

More examples

""Gigantism is an evolutionary survival strategy, especially for herbivorous animals, because size is a form of defense against predators," Apaldetti said."

Etymology

From French gigantisme, from Latin gigans (“giant”).

Related phrases

local gigantismgrowth hormonepituitary gland

More for "gigantism"

SynonymsSentencesPronunciationTranslate

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciationBrowse writing guides

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.