gentle giant

American  

[jen-tl jahy-uhnt] / ˈdʒɛn tl ˈdʒaɪ ənt /

noun

1. a person or animal that may seem intimidating because of great size, strength, talent, influence, etc., but is surprisingly friendly and not aggressive or threatening.

   Don’t be afraid of my huge dog—St. Bernards are gentle giants.

   A towering figure among scientists, she was a gentle giant who made others feel at home as they learned the profession.

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Etymology

Origin of gentle giant

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

Thankfully, Finn is a gentle giant.

From The Wall Street Journal

In theory, the scale should be menacing — some larger 737s are about 140 feet long — but the bubble-like shape softens the airship into a gentle giant, and with nickname “Blimpy” adopted among many fans, it’s basically begging for a set of cartoon eyes.

From Los Angeles Times

Handsome, charming, a "gentle giant" - Katie Yates believed Jason Smith was a real catch after meeting on a dating app.

From BBC

"He seemed so warm and friendly - like a gentle giant," Katie said.

From BBC

It was my ploy to keep alive our 6-foot-5 “gentle giant,” as we called him, and return to him once he was gone.

From The Wall Street Journal