English
giant
Giant comes from Middle English geaunt, from Old French geant, from Vulgar Latin *gagās, from Latin gigās ‘giant’, from Greek γίγας.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEγίγαςgígas
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEgigās
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*gagāsreconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400geant
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500geaunt‘a giant’
- Englishearliest quotation 1828giant
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEγίγαςgígas
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEgigās
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*gagāsreconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400geant
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500geaunt‘a giant’
- Englishearliest quotation 1828giant
Earliest quotation: 1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology: “The Dwarf then swelled and grew higher and higher…”
The story
Largely Displaced native Old English ent (‘giant’), Old English eoten (‘giant or jötunn’), and Old English þyrs (‘giant or ogre’).
Linked words
through Ancient Greek γίγας
Today it means
noun A mythical human or humanoid of very great size.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek γίγας / giant