What does colossal mean?
Colossal is an adjective meaning extremely large or great, whether in physical size, quantity, or abstract degree. It derives from the Greek 'kolossos', the word used for the towering statue of Helios known as the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and entered English in the seventeenth century alongside the noun 'colossus'. Today it is applied both literally — to monuments, buildings, and creatures of enormous scale — and figuratively, where it is especially common: a colossal failure, a colossal effort, or a colossal waste of resources all convey not mere bigness but overwhelming magnitude. The word carries a slightly emphatic, sometimes hyperbolic tone that suits journalism and everyday speech alike, and it pairs naturally with nouns denoting failure, amounts, and undertakings. Its adverb form is 'colossally'.
adjectiveExtremely large or great in size, extent, or degree; gigantic.
- Extremely large in size; gigantic (e.g. a colossal statue).
- Extremely great in degree or scale, especially figuratively (e.g. a colossal failure, a colossal sum of money).
"The colossal statue of Zeus at Olympia was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World."
"The project required a colossal effort from every member of the team."
"Losing the contract was a colossal blow to the company's ambitions."
It comes from the Greek 'kolossos', the word for the giant bronze Colossus of Rhodes — one of the ancient world's most famous wonders, toppled by an earthquake after standing just 56 years.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of colossal
Colossal comes from the Greek 'kolossos', a term for a large statue, most famously embodied by the Colossus of Rhodes, a bronze figure of the sun god Helios erected around 280 BC. Latin adopted the word as 'colossus', and it passed into English as a noun in the late Middle Ages, with the adjective 'colossal' emerging in the early seventeenth century, influenced by French 'colossal'. Cognates include 'colosseum', named after the colossal statue of Nero that stood near the Roman amphitheatre.
Related word forms
How colossal is actually used
Standard in both formal and informal registers. Frequently used figuratively to describe failures, mistakes, sums of money, and efforts, not only physical size. The stress falls on the second syllable: kuh-LOSS-uhl.
Easily confused with colossal
'Coral' refers to the hard calcareous substance produced by marine animals (or a pinkish colour), whereas 'colossal' means extremely large — the two merely share a superficial sound resemblance.