colossus
Americannoun
plural
colossi, colossuses-
(initial capital letter) the legendary bronze statue of Helios at Rhodes.
-
any statue of gigantic size.
-
anything colossal, gigantic, or very powerful.
noun
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.
Vocabulary lists containing colossus
This Week in Words : December 23 - 29, 2017
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Reading: Literature - Mythology - Introductory
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Reading: Literature - Mythology - Middle School
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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.
Yet while the structure is designed to be undetectable from the inside, it’s a full-blown metallic colossus on the outside — visible from the surrounding L.A. freeways.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 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
Instead, it points to a quieter colossus: households.
From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026
"Uini is someone who showed the right path through his actions -- and always with a smile," said Galthie about the New Zealand-born colossus.
From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026
He became a huge colossus; his head touched the skies, his feet were lost in the abyss, and his arms stretched from one pole to the other.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
