co·los·sal
/kəˈläsəl/
adjective
- 1. extremely large: "a colossal amount of mail"
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Colossal definition is - of, relating to, or resembling a colossus. How to use colossal in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of colossal.
Colossal definition, extraordinarily great in size, extent, or degree; gigantic; huge. See more.
colossal adjective huge, massive, vast, enormous, immense, titanic, gigantic, monumental, monstrous, mammoth, mountainous, stellar (informal), prodigious, gargantuan, fuck-off (offensive taboo slang), herculean, elephantine, ginormous (informal), humongous or humungous (U.S. slang) A colossal statue stands in the square.
colossal definition: 1. extremely large: 2. extremely large: 3. (esp. of something bad) very great: . Learn more.
Colossal describes something so large it makes you say, "Whoa!" You might have a colossal amount of homework, or see a colossal pyramid while vacationing in Egypt.
- English
- French
- Portuguese
Etymology
From French colossal, formed from Latin colossus, from Ancient Greek κολοσσός (kolossós, “giant statue”).
Pronunciation
1. IPA(key): /kəˈlɒsəl/
Adjective
colossal (comparative more colossal, superlative most colossal) 1. Extremely large or on a great scale.quotations ▼ 1.1. 2013 June 22, “Engineers of a different kind”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, page 70: 1.1.1. Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers.[…]Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster. Clever financial ploys are what have made billionaires of the industry’s veterans. “Operational improvement” in a portfolio company has often meant littl...
Etymology
Formed from Latin colossus, from Ancient Greek κολοσσός (kolossós) (originally used by Herodotusin reference to statues in ancient Egyptian temples).
Pronunciation
1. IPA(key): /kɔ.lɔ.sal/
Adjective
colossal (feminine singular colossale, masculine plural colossaux, feminine plural colossales) 1. colossal, huge
Etymology
From colosso + -al.
Pronunciation
1. (Brazil) IPA(key): /ˌko.lo.ˈsaw/
Adjective
colossal m or f (plural colossais, comparable) 1. colossal (extremely large)
How is the word colossal distinct from other similar adjectives? Some common synonyms of colossal are enormous, gigantic, huge, immense, mammoth, and vast. While all these words mean "exceedingly large," colossal applies especially to a human creation of stupendous or incredible dimensions. a colossal statue of Lincoln
- How is the word 'colossal' distinct from other similar adjectives?Some common synonyms of colossal are enormous, gigantic, huge, immense, mammoth, and vast. While all these words mean "exceedingly large," colossal...
- How are the words 'enormous' and 'immense' related as synonyms of 'colossal'?Enormous and immense both suggest an exceeding of all ordinary bounds in size or amount or degree, but enormous often adds an implication of abnorm...
- When could 'gigantic' be used to replace 'colossal'?In some situations, the words gigantic and colossal are roughly equivalent. However, gigantic stresses the contrast with the size of others of the...
- When can 'huge' be used instead of 'colossal'?Although the words huge and colossal have much in common, huge commonly suggests an immensity of bulk or amount. // incurred a huge debt
- When would 'mammoth' be a good substitute for 'colossal'?While in some cases nearly identical to colossal, mammoth suggests both hugeness and ponderousness of bulk. // a mammoth boulder
- When is 'vast' a more appropriate choice than 'colossal'?The words vast and colossal can be used in similar contexts, but vast usually suggests immensity of extent. // the vast Russian steppes