Etymology Map
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Giant

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a being of enormous size

Where does the word "giant" come from? It comes from Latin gigas, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
gigas
Latin · ancient
"giant"
from Greek 'gigas', the giants who fought the Olympian gods
2
Stage 2 of 3
geant
Old French · medieval
"giant"
replaced Old English 'eoten' and 'ent'
3
Stage 3 of 3
giant
English · 1200s
"a huge being"
used as an adjective for huge things since the 1800s
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Read the full story

Giant’s story begins in Latin: gigas meant “giant.” From Greek 'gigas', the giants who fought the Olympian gods. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as geant. Replaced Old English 'eoten' and 'ent'. It reached English by 1200s as giant. Used as an adjective for huge things since the 1800s. Today, giant means a being of enormous size.