colossal
Americanadjective
-
extraordinarily great in size, extent, or degree; gigantic; huge.
-
of or resembling a colossus.
-
(initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to a classical order whose columns or pilasters span two or more stories of a building.
adjective
-
of immense size; huge; gigantic
-
(in figure sculpture) approximately twice life-size Compare heroic
-
Also: giant. architect of or relating to the order of columns and pilasters that extend more than one storey in a façade
Usage
What does colossal mean? Colossal describes something as being very large in size, degree, or amount, as in I went to a colossal shopping mall that stretched for a mile. If something is colossal, it is enormous, gigantic, or massive.Colossal can also be used to describe a large degree of something, that is, a large amount or a large extent, like a colossal amount of boxes or a colossal advantage in the playoffs.Less commonly, colossal describes something as resembling a colossus, which is a very large statue, as in The large man was so colossal that he blocked the entire doorway.Example: Tyrannosaurus rex was a colossal dinosaur that towered over many of the smaller animals.
Related Words
See gigantic.
Other Word Forms
- colossality noun
- colossally adverb
- supercolossal adjective
- supercolossally adverb
Etymology
Origin of colossal
First recorded in 1705–15; coloss(us) + -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Japan pulled the plug on nuclear power after a colossal earthquake and tsunami sent three reactors at the Fukushima atomic plant into meltdown in 2011.
From Barron's
The colossal weaknesses in Nancy's formation, the giant amounts of space conceded by his players were the problem again.
From BBC
A fleeting observer of global politics might reasonably assume the UK should be a haven of stability: a newish government with a colossal majority and years until the next general election.
From BBC
Yes, there is the disappointment of missing a third-day sellout at the colossal MCG, yet the near 200,000 inside for the two days of action cannot say they were not royally entertained.
From BBC
Bush and Howard acknowledge that having that many collaborators keeps the inspiration flowing but also allows fragments of the colossal group brain to sneak into the film unnoticed.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
