Giant

[jahy-uh nt] /ˈdʒaɪ ənt/

noun
1.
(in folklore) a being with human form but superhuman size, strength, etc.
2.
a person or thing of unusually great size, power, importance, etc.; major figure; legend:
a giant in her field; an intellectual giant.
3.
(often initial capital letter) Classical Mythology. any of the Gigantes.
4.
Mining. (def 12).
5.
Astronomy. .
adjective
6.
unusually large, great, or strong; ; huge.
7.
greater or more eminent than others.
/ˈdʒaɪənt/
noun
1.
a mythical figure of superhuman size and strength, esp in folklore or fairy tales Also (feminine) giantess (ˈdʒaɪəntɪs)
2.
a person or thing of exceptional size, reputation, etc: a giant in nuclear physics
3.
(Greek myth) any of the large and powerful offspring of Uranus (sky) and Gaea (earth) who rebelled against the Olympian gods but were defeated in battle
4.
(pathol) a person suffering from gigantism
5.
(astronomy) See giant star
6.
(mining) another word for monitor (sense 8)
adjective
7.
remarkably or supernaturally large
8.
(architect) another word for colossal
n.

c.1300, from Old French geant, earlier jaiant (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *gagantem (nominative gagas), from Latin gigas “giant,” from Greek gigas (genitive gigantos), one of a race of savage beings, sons of Gaia and Uranus, eventually destroyed by the gods, probably from a pre-Greek language. Replaced Old English ent, eoten, also gigant. The Greek word was used in Septuagint to refer to men of great size and strength, hence the expanded use in modern languages. Of very tall persons from 1550s; of persons who have any quality in extraordinary degree, from 1530s.

In þat tyme wer here non hauntes Of no men bot of geauntes. [Wace’s Chronicle, c.1330]