giant
/ˈdʒaɪ.ənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdʒaɪ.ənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈjī-ənt/ (ame, mw) · /ˈdʒaɪənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdʒaɪənt/ (ame, ipa)
giant — noun
- giantsingular
- giantsplural
1. In old stories, a creature that looks like a human but is extremely tall and str
In old stories, a creature that looks like a human but is extremely tall and strong, and is often cruel or frightening.
In the story, the giant lived at the top of a beanstalk.
fairy-tale setting: giant + beanstalk
A giant stepped out of the cave, and the children ran away quickly.
A friendly giant once helped lost travelers find their way home, Quan's grandmother said.
Eli dressed as a giant for the school play, standing on wooden boxes.
- dwarf
a very small human-like creature in fairy tales
文法句型
giant + verb
a + giant
用法筆記
In modern English this sense is mainly used in fairy tales, children's books, and films. Outside those contexts, people use 'giant' figuratively — see senses 2 and 3 below.
常見錯誤
2. A real person who is much taller and bigger than most other people.
A real person who is much taller and bigger than most other people.
Christopher is a gentle giant who plays basketball for the national team.
collocation: gentle giant
The crowd parted to let the giant through the narrow doorway.
At nearly two metres tall, Karim was used to people calling him a giant.
Rachid felt like a giant standing next to his younger cousins.
- dwarf
a person of unusually short stature; now often considered offensive in direct reference to people
文法句型
a + giant
giant + of + noun
用法筆記
Calling someone a 'giant' because of their height can be friendly or admiring ('a gentle giant') but may also sound rude if used as a direct label without context. The phrase 'a giant of a man' is a common, neutral alternative.
常見錯誤
3. A person, company, or organization that is extremely successful and has great in
A person, company, or organization that is extremely successful and has great influence in a particular area.
The technology giant announced a new electric car at the conference.
collocation: technology / tech giant
One of the biggest retail giants in Asia offered Jason a job.
collocation: retail giant
Local shops cannot compete with the giant of online shopping.
The publishing giant bought several smaller book companies last year.
Isabela studied the work of Picasso, a giant of modern art.
文法句型
[field] + giant
giant + of + [field]
用法筆記
Often combined with a field name before it ('tech giant', 'pharmaceutical giant', 'media giant') or after it with 'of' ('a giant of the film industry'). Can describe both individual people and large organizations.
常見錯誤
giant — adjective
- giantpositive
- more giantcomparative
- most giantsuperlative
1. Very large in size, amount, or importance — for example, a giant company, a gian
Very large in size, amount, or importance — for example, a giant company, a giant wave, or a giant step forward.
A giant sign outside the store showed the name of the company.
Manuela took a giant step forward and reached the other side of the stream.
collocation: giant step / leap
A giant wave crashed over the fishing boat, but everyone was safe.
Ezra made a giant mistake by forgetting to lock the back door.
Rachel helped her team make a giant improvement to the computer system.
文法句型
giant + noun
用法筆記
Used as an attributive adjective only (before a noun). More common in informal and journalistic writing than in formal academic prose. For physical size, 'huge' and 'enormous' are more neutral alternatives; for abstract importance, 'enormous' or 'immense' may sound more formal.