giant

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈdʒaɪ.ənt/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English geant, geaunt, giaunt,^[2][3] borrowed from Old French geant (“giant, ogre”), earlier jaiant (modern French géant),^[4][2][5] from Vulgar Latin *gagās (accusative *gagantem),^[4][2][6] a variant of Latin gigās (“a giant”),^[4][2] from Ancient Greek γίγας (gígās) (genitive gígantos), one of the Gigantes, savage, monstrous sons of Gaia and Uranus eventually destroyed by the gods.^[4][2][6] The Greek word is of unknown or uncertain origin, probably from a pre-Greek language;^[4][2] derivation from gēgenḗs “earth-born” is considered untenable.^[4] The spelling ge- was altered to gi- about 1350, after the Latin.^[2][7] It replaced Old English ent, eoten and gigant.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

A mythical being of human form and superhuman size: 1297 in the OED,^[8] about 1300 in Etymonline and Barnhart.^[4][2]

Semantic evolution

The Septuagint used the Greek word of men of great size and strength, which explains its wider use in modern languages.^[4] A person who has some quality in an extraordinary degree is from the 1530s, 1535 in the OED,^[4][8] and an abnormally tall person from 1559.^[2][8] A figurative force of enormous power is first recorded in Donne's Poems (1631).^[2][8] The adjective is from the early 15th century.^[4][2] Giant-killer is from 1726,^[4] a class of large stars from 1912,^[4][8] and a powerful company dominating its market from 1958.^[8]

Timeline

• 1297 – a mythical giant.^[8]
• early 15th century – adjective.^[4][2]
• 1535 – a person of extraordinary ability.^[8]
• 1559 – a very tall person.^[2][8]
• 1726 – giant-killer.^[4]
• 1912 – a giant star.^[4][8]
• 1958 – a giant company.^[8]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. In folklore and myth, a being of human form but enormous size and strength.
2. A person or thing of great size.
3. A person of extraordinary power, importance or ability: a literary giant.
4. A very large, powerful company.
5. A very large, bright star.

Adjective

1. Of exceptionally great size or power; gigantic.

Word family

• giantlike
• supergiant
• Giant's Causeway

Related words

• gigantic
• giantess
• gigantism
• ent
• ettin

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
6. ^ a b The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000), 4th ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
7. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press