colossus

American  

[kuh-los-uhs] / kəˈlɒs əs /

noun

plural

colossi, colossuses

1. (initial capital letter) the legendary bronze statue of Helios at Rhodes.

2. any statue of gigantic size.

3. anything colossal, gigantic, or very powerful.

---

colossus British  

/ kəˈlɒsəs /

noun

1. something very large, esp a statue

---

Etymology

Origin of colossus

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin < Greek kolossós statue, image, presumably < a pre-Hellenic Mediterranean language

Explanation

The original colossus was an enormous statue that was supposed to have guarded the ancient Greek island and city of Rhodes. Now, though, we use the noun colossus for someone of huge importance, reputation, or influence. In the world of American music, Louis Armstrong is a colossus. He invented or perfected many of the elements of what we now call jazz — there's probably no figure of greater importance in that field. Even the second most important athlete in the world seems small in comparison to the colossus that is Muhammad Ali. He is, quite simply, the greatest. In the ancient world, Rome was an imperial colossus. Few nations could rival its strength, size, or colossal growth.

Example Sentences

During his tenure, Hastings oversaw the substantial growth of the streaming colossus.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

After spending two decades molding Disney into a media colossus, Iger segued into a senior advisory role, which will run through December when he officially retires.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

He's been a total colossus in this fixture in the past and he was again on Saturday.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

France head coach Fabien Galthie hailed colossus lock Emmanuel Meafou after his man-of-the-match performance in Sunday's 33-8 Six Nations victory over Italy.

From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026

In Egypt, a towering colossus, immobile, beyond the power of the imagination to endow with movement, as fixed in the stone as the tremendous temple columns, a representation of the human shape deliberately made unhuman.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton