# colossus

/kəˈɫɑsəs/ (US) · /kəlˈɒsəs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/colossus
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a giant statue

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

a statue that is much larger than a normal person.

For teachers: a statue of gigantic size, historically referring to monumental works like the Colossus of Rhodes.

- The ancient city was famous for the bronze colossus that stood at the harbour entrance.
- Archaeologists continue to search for the remains of the bronze colossus that once dominated the ancient skyline before the earthquake.

### 2. an influential person

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Formal

a person who is very important, powerful, or talented in their field.

For teachers: a person or thing of enormous size, importance, or ability; a dominant figure in a particular field.

- In the world of science, he was a colossus whose ideas changed everything.
- The late statesman bestrode the political landscape like a colossus, overshadowing his contemporaries for nearly three decades.

### 3. something huge

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

anything that is extremely large in size.

For teachers: any creature or object of gigantic proportions.

- The new aircraft carrier is a steel colossus that can carry thousands of sailors.
- The industrial colossus loomed over the small town, its chimneys constantly venting steam into the grey sky.

## Examples

- The famous scientist was a colossus in the world of physics.
- The tech giant stands as a colossus over the industry, controlling nearly half of the global market share.
- In the history of nineteenth-century literature, he remains a colossus whose stylistic innovations continue to influence modern prose and poetry across multiple languages.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.