French word

colossal

Pronunciation

IPA/kolosal/

Meaning

  • adjectiveenormous

Example

Ce bâtiment est colossal.

This building is enormous.

Illustration for colossal (enormous)

More examples

Le projet a un coût colossal.

The project has a colossal cost.

Core concept

A structure or undertaking so vast that ordinary scale seems inadequate.

Common phrases

  • un problème colossal

    a colossal problem

  • un projet colossal

    a colossal project

Similar words

énorme: Extremely large in amount, quantity, or volume.
immense: Extremely vast in area or physical extent.
gigantesque: So huge that its scale is visually overwhelming.
géant: Giant-sized and far beyond ordinary dimensions.

Definition in French

Désignant quelque chose d'une taille ou d'une ampleur exceptionnellement grande.

Word origin

French colossal comes from Latin colossus, borrowed from Greek kolossos for a gigantic statue.

Usage tips

  • Colossal is more emphatic and less common in everyday French than énorme.

Opposites

  • infimetinyadjective
  • petitsmalladjective

Word lists with this word