What does gigantism mean?
Gigantism is a formal noun meaning excessive or abnormal growth, especially an unusually great increase in stature during childhood. In its principal medical sense, it results from excessive growth hormone before the growth plates close, producing unusually tall proportions and may be associated with a pituitary disorder. It should not be confused with acromegaly, which involves abnormal growth after growth-plate closure and commonly affects the hands, feet, face, and jaw. More generally, gigantism can refer to exaggerated enlargement in nature, literature, or metaphorically to the scale or power of something. The word carries a largely neutral or technical tone in medicine and a more dramatic, sometimes figurative tone elsewhere. It is useful because it names a specific kind of disproportionate growth while also extending beyond medicine to any striking example of excessive size. Its related adjective, gigantistic, is especially common when describing something of immense scale.
nounThe condition of growing to an abnormally large size, especially through excessive growth hormone before the growth plates close; more generally, excessive or exaggerated enlargement or growth.
- In medicine, excessive growth in stature caused by excess growth hormone during childhood, before the growth plates close.
- More generally, excessive, exaggerated, or abnormal enlargement or growth.
- The condition or state of being unusually large; gigantic stature.
"The condition was eventually diagnosed as pituitary gigantism."
"Early diagnosis is important in children with gigantism because treatment may reduce further growth."
"The novel uses the growth of the desert plants as an image of natural gigantism."
Rare and generally unnecessary; gigantism is normally treated as an uncountable noun.
"The encyclopedia identifies gigantisms as rare disorders of excessive growth."
Gigantism is not simply the condition of being tall: medically, it refers to extraordinary growth before the body’s growth plates close.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gigantism come from?
Gigantism entered English through French gigantisme, which was based on the Greek gigant- form associated with gigas, meaning “giant.” The Greek root passed into English through related words such as giant and gigantic. The modern medical sense developed from the older general idea of abnormally great size.
Related word forms
How gigantism is actually used
The word is formal and relatively uncommon in general use. In medical writing it has a precise meaning and is distinguished from acromegaly; outside medicine, it may describe any strikingly excessive growth.
Easily confused with gigantism
Gigantic is an adjective meaning extremely large, whereas gigantism is a noun naming excessive growth or enlargement.
Gigantism involves excessive growth in stature before the growth plates close, while acromegaly refers to abnormal growth after growth-plate closure, typically affecting the hands, feet, and face.