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Glite Dictionary
⚔️ Mythical battle 🏺 Art of battle 💥 Major conflict
gigantomachy

gigantomachy

9.9
An artwork showing gods fighting giants in Greek art
  • noun
  • /dʒaɪˈɡæntəˌmɑːki/
  • Literature
translation icon : gigantomachia
  • The ancient vase was decorated with a detailed gigantomachy showing gods fighting giants.

Examples

  • The museum's new exhibit features a famous fresco of the gigantomachy from Greek mythology.

  • In literature, the gigantomachy symbolizes the struggle between order and chaos.

  • The gigantomachy is a central theme in many ancient Greek artworks.

  • Can you explain the significance of gigantomachies in Greek mythology?

  • The ancient vase was decorated with a detailed gigantomachy showing gods fighting giants.

  • The museum's new exhibit features a famous fresco of the gigantomachy from Greek mythology.

  • In literature, the gigantomachy symbolizes the struggle between order and chaos.

Surface Forms

gigantomachy singular
gigantomachies plural

Morphology

gigantomachy = giganto + machy

The word is derived from Greek roots 'giganto-' (giant) and '-machy' (battle), but these are not productive English morphemes.

Etymology

Gigantomachy comes from the Greek parts gigas 'giant' and -machy 'battle'. Artists and writers used the word for pictures or stories that show this 'giant battle', which is why museums label such scenes a gigantomachy.