Definition of colossus
colossi
play \kə-ˈlä-ˌsī\1 : a statue of gigantic size and proportions
2 : a person or thing of immense size or power
Indulge Your Inner Word Nerd
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.
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.
Origin and Etymology of colossus
Latin, from Greek kolossos
First Known Use: before 12th century
COLOSSUS Defined for English Language Learners
colossus
playDefinition of colossus for English Language Learners
-
: a huge statue
-
: a very large or important person or thing
Learn More about colossus
-
See words that rhyme with colossus Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for colossus Spanish Central: Translation of colossus Nglish: Translation of colossus for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of colossus for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about colossus
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up colossus? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!