giant

n. [ OE. giant, geant, geaunt, OF. jaiant, geant, F. géant, L. gigas, fr. Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, from the root of E. gender, genesis. See Gender, and cf. Gigantic. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A man of extraordinari bulk and stature. [ 1913 Webster ]

Giants of mighty bone and bold emprise. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A person of extraordinary strength or powers, bodily or intellectual. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Any animal, plant, or thing, of extraordinary size or power. [ 1913 Webster ]

Giant's Causeway, a vast collection of basaltic pillars, in the county of Antrim on the northern coast of Ireland. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Like a giant; extraordinary in size, strength, or power; as, giant brothers; a giant son. [ 1913 Webster ]

Giant cell. (Anat.) See Myeloplax. --
Giant clam (Zool.), a bivalve shell of the genus Tridacna, esp. T. gigas, which sometimes weighs 500 pounds. The shells are sometimes used in churches to contain holy water. --
Giant heron (Zool.), a very large African heron (Ardeomega goliath). It is the largest heron known. --
Giant kettle, a pothole of very large dimensions, as found in Norway in connection with glaciers. See Pothole. --
Giant powder. See Nitroglycerin. --
Giant puffball (Bot.), a fungus (Lycoperdon giganteum), edible when young, and when dried used for stanching wounds. --
Giant salamander (Zool.), a very large aquatic salamander (Megalobatrachus maximus), found in Japan. It is the largest of living Amphibia, becoming a yard long. --
Giant squid (Zool.), one of several species of very large squids, belonging to Architeuthis and allied genera. Some are over forty feet long. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A woman of extraordinary size. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ Cf. F. géantiser. ] To play the giant. [ R. ] Sherwood. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Appropriate to a giant. [ Obs. ] Usher. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The race of giants. [ R. ] Cotgrave. [ 1913 Webster ]