Colossal is an adjective meaning extremely large or great in size, extent, or degree. It often conveys something impressive or overwhelming in scale. The word carries a sense of magnitude that can be figurative (colossal mistake) as well as literal (colossal statue).
"The museum opened with a colossal sculpture that drew visitors from around the world."
"Her achievement was a colossal leap forward for the research team."
"They faced a colossal challenge, yet they persevered with determination."
"The project required colossal amounts of funding and logistics."
Colossal comes from the Late Latin diminutive colossus (which itself derives from the Greek kolossós, meaning “immense, gigantic,” from kolossos meaning “a stature, statue”). The word was adopted into English in the 17th century, initially used to describe something shaped or related to a statue, then extended to describe anything of extraordinary size or degree. The shift from a literal, statue-based sense to a figurative sense occurred as English writers began using colossal to emphasize grand scale or importance, often with a tone of awe or exaggeration. Over time, it has maintained a strong association with grandeur and magnitude, and today it is common in both formal and informal contexts, frequently appearing in literary, scientific, and everyday speech. First known uses appeared in scientific and theatrical writing, later appearing in encyclopedic and journalistic prose as a general descriptor for extraordinary scale.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Colossal" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Colossal"
-sal sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /kəˈlɒl.səl/ (UK) or /kəˈlɑː.səl/ (US); US vowels are broader in the first syllable and the second syllable rhymes with ‘dull.’ Syllable break is co-LO-sal, with primary stress on the second syllable. Mouth position: start with a relaxed schwa in the first syllable, then a clear back rounded vowel in the second, finishing with a light, unstressed -sal. Audio reference: try listening to ['colossal' on Forvo] or pronunciation videos.
Common errors: treating the second syllable as -lal instead of -ləl, and misplacing the primary stress as on the first syllable (co-LO-sal). Some speakers over-round the vowels in the first syllable, producing /ˈkoʊlˌoʊ.səl/; instead, aim for relaxed /əˈlɑː.l̩/ or /əˈlɒl.səl/ depending on accent. Focus on producing a clear schwa or low-mid vowel in the first syllable and a crisp, unstressed 'sal' at the end. Practice with minimal pairs to fix the stress and vowel length.
US: /kəˈlɑː.səl/ with a broad first syllable and a rhotic r-like vowelless 'l', UK: /kəˈɒl.səl/ with shorter, clipped second syllable and non-rhoticity, AU: /kəˈlɒl.səl/ similar to UK but with a flatter intonation and vowel quality closer to /ɒ/. US tends to have a more open first vowel and a longer second vowel; UK/AU may shorten the first vowel and compress the second syllable. Consistent stress on the second syllable in all, but vowel lengths shift subtly by accent.
Two main challenges: the second syllable -ləl can be tricky because the -əl reductions vary by accent, and the stress on the second syllable requires moving the emphasis away from the natural underscore in quick speech. The first syllable's schwa or low vowel must be balanced against the stronger, tense second syllable. Also, the combination of /l/ + /s/ at the end can create a subtle cluster that pressures the tongue and jaw for a quick, clean finish.
Colossal contains no silent letters; every letter contributes sound. The key is the two consonant clusters: /l/ in the middle and /s/ before the final /l/. Practice the sequence co-LOL-sal with a light, even release between sounds. The second syllable features a reduced vowel in non-stressed speech, but must still be distinctly pronounced when careful articulation is desired. Keeping the tongue high for the second syllable can help avoid a muffled finish.
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