Word
titanic
Phoneticsti·tan·ic, stress on the second syllable
US/taɪˈtænɪk/
UK/taɪtˈænɪk/
Españoltitánico
Definition
adj. having great strength, size, or power. You use this to describe something that is much bigger or more important than usual.
adj. possessing exceptional strength, size, or power; of enormous scope or magnitude. Often used to describe significant struggles, efforts, or physical structures.
Examples
“The two companies are locked in a titanic struggle for market control.”
“The construction of the new dam was a titanic task that required thousands of workers and years of planning.”
“The novel depicts a titanic clash between traditional values and the rapid industrialization of the early twentieth century.”
Examples
simple
“The two companies are locked in a titanic struggle for market control.”
contextual
“The construction of the new dam was a titanic task that required thousands of workers and years of planning.”
complex
“The novel depicts a titanic clash between traditional values and the rapid industrialization of the early twentieth century.”
Usage
Typically used as an attributive adjective before the noun it modifies.
Real-World Examples
“Big hits, massive ballads and titanic emotions: Céline Dion’s greatest songs – ranked!” “But not all his work was of such a titanic scale.” Etymology
From Late Latin Titanicus, or its etymon Ancient Greek Τιτανικός (Titanikós, “of or relating to the Titans”), from Τιτᾶνες (Titânes, “Titans”) + -ικός (-ikós, “suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives”). Τιτᾶνες (Titânes) is the nominative or vocative plural of Τῑτᾱ́ν (Tītā́n, “a Titan”), and then possibly: from τῐ́σῐς (tĭ́sĭs, “payment; atonement, penalty, punishment, retribution, reward; vengeance”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kʷey- (“to pay; to avenge”); or from τιταίνω (titaínō, “to extend, stretch”), from τείνω (teínō, “to extend, stretch; to spread; to exert, push to the limit, strain”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ten- (“to extend, stretch”); or * from τίτο (títo, “sun; day”), originally borrowed from Anatolian. The English word is analyzable as Titan + -ic (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives from nouns).
The proper noun is derived from Titanic (etymology 1, adjective senses 1 and 2.1), as the ship was the largest and thought to be the strongest in the world at the time it was constructed. The common noun is derived from the name of the ship.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/titanic
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0