giant

giant
giant c.1300, from O.Fr. geant, earlier jaiant (12c.), from V.L. *gagantem (nom. gagas), from L. gigas "giant," from Gk. gigas (gen. gigantos), one of a race of savage beings, sons of Gaia and Uranus, eventually destroyed by the gods, probably from a pre-Greek language. Replaced O.E. ent, eoten, also gigant. The Greek word was used in Septuagint to refer to men of great size and strength, hence the expanded use in modern languages. Of very tall persons from 1550s; of persons who have any quality in extraordinary degree, from 1530s.
In þat tyme wer here non hauntes Of no men bot of geauntes. [Wace's Chronicle, c.1330]

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Giant — Manufacturing Co. Ltd. Тип Публичная компания Год основания 1972 Расположение …   Википедия

  • Giant — or Giants may refer to:*Giant (mythology), especially tall mythological creatures or monsters *Giant (Dungeons Dragons), a type of creature in the Dungeons Dragons role playing game *A person with gigantism, or a human who is unusually tall… …   Wikipedia

  • Giant — Gi ant, a. Like a giant; extraordinary in size, strength, or power; as, giant brothers; a giant son. [1913 Webster] {Giant cell}. (Anat.) See {Myeloplax}. {Giant clam} (Zo[ o]l.), a bivalve shell of the genus {Tridacna}, esp. {T. gigas}, which… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Giant — (englisch für Gigant) bezeichnet unter anderem: den Originaltitel des Filmes Giganten eine Rockband, siehe Giant (Band) einen taiwanischen Fahrradhersteller, siehe Giant (Fahrradhersteller) einen Damm, siehe Giant’s Causeway eine Mine, siehe… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Giant — también puede referirse al luchador profesional Paul Wight, conocido también como Big Show. La bicicleta que utilizó Alexander Vinokourov en el Tour de Francia 2005. Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd. es una compañía dedicada a la elaboración de… …   Wikipedia Español

  • giant — gi‧ant [ˈdʒaɪənt] noun [countable] ORGANIZATIONS a very large, successful company: • The world s soft drinks market is dominated by the US giants, Pepsi and Coke. • ICI, the chemicals giant, paid $193 million to buy an American explosives… …   Financial and business terms

  • Giant — Gi ant, n. [OE. giant, geant, geaunt, OF. jaiant, geant, F. g[ e]ant, L. gigas, fr. Gr. ?, ?, from the root of E. gender, genesis. See {Gender}, and cf. {Gigantic}.] [1913 Webster] 1. A man of extraordinari bulk and stature. [1913 Webster] Giants …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • giant — [jī′ənt] n. [ME geant < NormFr gaiant (OFr jaiant) < VL * gagante < L gigas (pl. gigantes), huge fabled beings (in Vulg., giant) < Gr gigas (gen. gigantos), in LXX, a man of great size and strength] 1. Gr. Myth. any of a race of huge… …   English World dictionary

  • giant — [adj] very large big, blimp*, brobdingnagian*, colossal, cyclopean, elephantine*, enormous, gargantuan, gigantic, gross*, Herculean*, huge, hulking, humongous*, immense, jumbo*, mammoth, monstrous*, mountainous, prodigious, super duper*, titanic …   New thesaurus

  • giant — index prodigious (enormous) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

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