Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “gargantuan” come from?

Gargantuan comes from French Gargantua, the name of a legendary giant in Renaissance literature known for his enormous appetite and capacity.

gargantuan (English): Of the giant Gargantua or his appetite; Huge;...

Definitions

  1. Of the giant Gargantua or his appetite; Huge;...

Ancestry of “gargantuan”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1FrenchGargantua—
2Spanishgargantathroat; gorge

Words derived from “gargantuan”

  • gargantuanly
  • gargantuanism
  • gargantuanness
Every word from Spanish garganta →