Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “giant squid” come from?

giant squid (English) comes from English giant, from Middle English geaunt, from Old French gaiant, from Vulgar Latin *gagantem, from Latin gigantem, from Ancient Greek Γίγας, from Ancient Greek Γίγᾱς.

giant squid (English): Any of the very large squid, of the genus...

Definitions

  1. Any of the very large squid, of the genus...

Ancestry of “giant squid”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgiantA mythical human of very great size;...
2Middle EnglishgeauntA giant; A immoral or despicable person
3Old Frenchgaianta giant
4Vulgar Latin*gagantem—
5Latingigantemaccusative singular of gigāns
6Ancient GreekΓίγαςone of the Gigantes; a Gigas
7Ancient GreekΓίγᾱς—
Every word from Ancient Greek Γίγᾱς →