colossal

Colossal is an adjective meaning extremely large or great in size, extent, or degree. The word derives from the Greek kolossos, via Latin colossus, originally referring to a gigantic statue and by extension to anything of extraordinary size. In English usage, colossal can describe things on a monumental scale in nature, architecture, art, or achievement, and is often employed to emphasize impact or significance.

In common usage, colossal is frequently used for dramatic effect, sometimes as hyperbole rather than a literal measurement. It appears in scientific and descriptive contexts to convey very large scale, such as geological features, animals, or structures, while remaining a general term rather than a precise quantity.

Colossal has also been used as a title in popular culture. The 2016 film Colossal, directed by Nacho Vigalondo and starring Anne Hathaway, uses the word to signal a narrative of vast, interlinked consequences. In biology, the term appears in the common name for the colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni), a species noted for its substantial size and distinctive characteristics, illustrating how the descriptor is tied to extremity in nature.

See also discussions of scale and magnitude, where terms like giant, enormous, and monumental are often contrasted with colossal. The word remains a flexible descriptor in both technical and everyday language, capable of conveying awe as well as emphasis.