giant
extremely large
a giant sandwich
Oxford Essential Dictionary
giant
adjective
very big:
a giant insect
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
giant
I. gi‧ant1 W3 /ˈdʒaɪənt/ BrE AmE adjective [only before noun]
extremely big, and much bigger than other things of the same type:
a giant electronics company
a giant tortoise
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
adjective only before noun
very large; much larger or more important than similar things usually are
• a giant crab
• a giant-size box of tissues
• a giant step towards achieving independence
Word Origin:
Middle English geant (with the first syllable later influenced by Latin gigant-), from Old French, via Latin from Greek gigas, gigant-.
Example Bank:
• Giant clams may grow to be a metre long.
• The agreement was hailed as a giant step towards an era of peace and reconciliation.
• The market is controlled by giant corporations which function as monopolies.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
giant / ˈdʒaɪ. ə nt / adjective
extremely large:
a giant earth-moving machine
to take giant steps
© Cambridge University Press 2013
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
giant
[ʤa͟ɪ͟ənt]
♦♦♦
giants
1) ADJ: ADJ n Something that is described as giant is much larger or more important than most others of its kind.
...Italy's giant car maker, Fiat.
...a giant oak table.
...a giant step towards unification with the introduction of monetary union.
Syn:
huge
2) N-COUNT: usu n N Giant is often used to refer to any large, successful business organization or country. [JOURNALISM]
...Japanese electronics giant Sony.
...one of Germany's industrial giants, Daimler-Benz.
3) N-COUNT A giant is an imaginary person who is very big and strong, especially one mentioned in old stories.
...a Nordic saga of giants.
4) N-COUNT: usu a N of n You can refer to someone, especially a man, as a giant, if they seem important or powerful or if they are big and strong.
He has enormous charisma. He is a giant of a man...
The biggest man in the patrol, a giant of a man, lifted Mattie on to his shoulders.
5) N-COUNT: usu N of n You can refer to someone such as a famous musician or writer as a giant, if they are regarded as one of the most important or successful people in their field.
...the giant of opera, Luciano Pavarotti...
He was without question one of the giants of Japanese literature.
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
1gi·ant /ˈʤajənt/ adj [more ~; most ~] : very large : much larger or more powerful than normal
• a giant photograph/machine/wrestler
• a giant corporation
• a giant-size box of detergent
