Gigantism
/ˈdʒaɪ.ɡæn.tɪ.zəm/noun
A condition marked by excessive growth, especially unusually tall stature caused by overproduction of growth hormone before puberty.
Did you know?The root behind Gigantism goes back to the Greek Gigantes, the earth-born giants of myth, so the medical term still carries a whisper of ancient monster lore.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
gígas / gígantes
“a giant; in myth, the earth-born Giants”
Late Latin
Latin
gigant-
“giant”
Middle French
French
gigante
“giant”
16th Century
English
gigant
“a giant; a person of enormous size”
19th Century
English
gigantism
“the condition of being abnormally large or giantlike”
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