colossus
noun
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The original colossi (notice the plural form) were the larger-than-life statues made by the Greeks and Romans. The most famous of these was the Colossus of Rhodes, a statue of the sun god Helios built on the Greek island of Rhodes around 280 B.C. that was over 100 feet tall and took more than 12 years to build. The Statue of Liberty is a modern colossus, enormous and stately, at the entrance to New York Harbor. And someone who has played a colossal role in history, such as Winston Churchill, may be called a colossus as well.
Synonyms
Examples of colossus in a Sentence
Davey Winder, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
From a realist perspective, the prospect of China as an economic colossus was a nightmare.
—John Mearsheimer, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2021
Dominic Solanke gave Tottenham cutting edge in the attacking third while Micky van de Ven was a colossus in defence, also contributing an incredible solo assist for the first goal of the game.
—Graham Ruthven, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Unlike Rhoades, a vituperative colossus, however, Williams brings a steely determination and a Joe Friday, just-the-facts mien to his lawyering in the court of public opinion.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 4 Oct. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near colossus
Cite this Entry
“Colossus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colossus. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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colossus
noun
from Latin colossus "huge statue, colossus"
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