gigantesco
Lemma Details
Translation: gigantic; enormous; huge; colossal; massive
Part of Speech: adjective
Etymology: Derived from the Latin 'giganteus', which comes from Greek 'gigas' (γίγας) meaning 'giant'. The English cognate 'gigantic' shares the same root. The suffix '-esco' in Spanish indicates 'having the quality of' or 'resembling', similar to English '-ic' or '-esque'. The word ultimately refers to the giants of Greek mythology, the Gigantes, who were enormous beings born from Gaia (Earth) and who fought against the Olympian gods.
Commonality: 70%
Guessability: 90%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
El proyecto requirió un esfuerzo gigantesco.
The project required a gigantic effort.
Construyeron un edificio de proporciones gigantescas.
They built a building of gigantic proportions.
Las montañas gigantescas dominaban el paisaje.
The gigantic mountains dominated the landscape.
Enfrentamos un problema de magnitud gigantesca.
We are facing a problem of gigantic magnitude.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'gigant' + 'esco' as 'giant-like' or 'giant-esque'
- Remember the English word 'gigantic' which is very similar in both spelling and meaning
- Visualize a giant (gigante) with the ending -esco to indicate 'having the quality of a giant'
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
The word is commonly used in Spanish literature and media to describe impressive natural features, architectural works, or extraordinary achievements. It carries a sense of awe and sometimes exaggeration.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While both mean 'big' or 'large', 'gigantesco' specifically implies something extraordinarily large, often with a sense of awe or impressiveness, whereas 'grande' is more general and can refer to something that is simply above average in size.
Confused word:
Tengo una casa grande.
I have a big house.
Notes: 'Gigantesco' is more emphatic and hyperbolic than 'grande' and is often used for rhetorical effect.
Mnemonic: 'Gigantesco' contains 'gigant' (think 'giant') while 'grande' is more like the English 'grand' - impressive but not necessarily enormous.
Explanation: Both 'gigantesco' and 'colosal' refer to something extremely large, but 'colosal' derives from 'colossus' and often carries connotations of monumental structures or achievements, while 'gigantesco' relates more to natural or physical enormity.
Notes: In many contexts, these words can be used interchangeably, but 'colosal' may have slightly more formal or artistic connotations.
Mnemonic: Think of 'colosal' as related to the Colossus of Rhodes (a massive statue), while 'gigantesco' relates to giants (living beings).