colossus

noun

co·​los·​sus kə-ˈlä-səs 

plural colossi kə-ˈlä-ˌsī 

1

: a statue of gigantic size and proportions

2

: a person or thing of immense size or power

Did you know?

The original colossi (notice the plural form) were the larger-than-life statues made by the Greeks and Romans. The most famous of these was the Colossus of Rhodes, a statue of the sun god Helios built on the Greek island of Rhodes around 280 B.C. that was over 100 feet tall and took more than 12 years to build. The Statue of Liberty is a modern colossus, enormous and stately, at the entrance to New York Harbor. And someone who has played a colossal role in history, such as Winston Churchill, may be called a colossus as well.

Synonyms

• giant
• whale
• monster
• dinosaur
• mammoth
• titan

Examples of colossus in a Sentence

The building is a colossus of steel and glass.

Leonardo da Vinci remains a colossus in the history of art.

Recent Examples on the Web

In the 1990s, Jerry Jones turned the Cowboys into an on-field juggernaut—winning three Super Bowls in four years—and an off-field colossus, becoming American sports’ most valuable franchise. —Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 13 Aug. 2025

Last year food group colossus Mars agreed to acquire Kellanova in a massive $36 billion deal but that is currently facing antitrust scrutiny from European regulators. —Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025

The pattern was obscured from view by advertisements for many years, which is fitting considering how Leitch, a colossus in the fabric of British football in the 20th century, has been forgotten by the wider community. —Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 17 May 2025

The image that appeared before his strained eyes was of the United States as a colossus astride the world, with bases, allies, and interests covering the globe. —Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 16 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek kolossos

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for colossus

• proboscis

Kids Definition

colossus

noun

co·​los·​sus kə-ˈläs-əs 

plural colossi -ˈläs-ˌī 

1

: a huge statue

2

: a person or thing of great size or power

Etymology

from Latin colossus "huge statue, colossus"