English
gentle giant
From gentle + giant.
Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- ‘to produce, to beget, to give birth’
…
Latin gens ‘[Roman] clan’
Latin gentilis ‘of the same family or clan’
Old French gentil ‘high-born, noble’
Middle English gentil ‘courteous, noble’
English gentle
Ancient Greek γίγας
Latin gigās
Vulgar Latin *gagās
Old French geant
Middle English geaunt ‘a giant’
English giant
The story
First use appears c. 1807 in a translated work.
Today it means
noun A person or animal of a great size or strength, yet who is of a friendly nature and not aggressive or threatening.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / gentle giant