Godzilla

American  

[god-zil-uh] / gɒdˈzɪl ə /

Trademark.

1. a science-fiction monster that resembles an enormous bipedal lizard, featured in Japanese and American films, television, and comic books.

---

Etymology

Origin of Godzilla

1950–55; an Anglicized version of the Japanese name Gojira < Japanese gorira gorilla + kujira whale

Compare meaning

How does godzilla compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Godzilla vs. Gargantua

Example Sentences

In 2015-16, a super El Niño was predicted — which some forecasters dubbed a Godzilla El Niño — but California’s yearly rainfall totals ended up being about average, said state climatologist Michael Anderson.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Our relationship with Godzilla changes from movie to movie and age to age.

From Salon • Mar. 20, 2026

As for Godzilla, it snores like a kitten.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

It turns out the Randa family legacy is intertwined with Godzilla as well as Monarch, a secret organization dedicated to studying the giant monsters known as Titans.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 2, 2026

It would have been like King Kong battling Godzilla.

From "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie