colossus Hear it!

colossus definition

co·los·sus (kə läs′əs)

noun pl. colossi -·los′si′ (-ī′) or colossuses -·los′·suses

  1. a gigantic statue
  2. the gigantic statue of Apollo set at the entrance to the harbor of Rhodes c. 280 and included among the Seven Wonders of the World
  3. any huge or important person or thing

Etymology: ME < L < Gr kolossos

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

colossus Synonyms

colossus

n.

gigantic statue, Goliath, titan, leviathan; see giant 1, 2.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

colossus Usage Examples

Adjective modifier

  • first: The game eases you into the style of play from the first colossi.

Converse of object

  • call: This had brought about the building of an unprecedented large electronic machine, called the Colossus, brought into action just before D-Day.

Adjective modifier

  • new: The appearance of Niall Ferguson's new book Colossus might therefore seem timely.

Modifies a noun

  • computer: You can visit Bletchley Park and see for yourself the reconstructed Colossus computer which was used to crack the German codes.

Noun used with modifier

  • software: The software colossus stands accused of using its market power unfairly.

Preposition: in

  • defense: King retorted by describing Reeves as a colossus in the defense.

Preposition: with

  • foot: Colossus with feet of clay The Iraqis have showed us something really important: the Empire is a colossus on feet of clay.
colossus usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

colossus quotes

Milton, Madam, was a genius that could cut a Colossus from a rock; but could not carve heads upon cherry- stones.

-Johnson, Samuel known as Dr Johnson

colossus quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Link to this page:

Cite this page:

MLA Style

"colossus." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/colossus>

APA Style

colossus. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/colossus

Comments:

Please or Register to post a comment