Gigas
/ˈdʒaɪ.ɡəs/noun
A giant or very large being, especially in fantasy or scientific naming.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek mythology’s race of Giants, the Gigantes, and its ancient root helped name everything from gigantic size to giant creatures in modern biology.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ǵʰeigh-
“to yawn, gape, or be open wide”
Ancient Greek
Greek
γίγας (gígas)
“giant”
Classical Latin
Latin
gigas
“giant”
Middle English
English
gigas
“giant; a giant being in learned or literary use”
Modern English
English
gigas
“giant, especially in technical, scientific, or fantasy contexts”