Giantesses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A female figure of immense size, often depicted in folklore and mythology as a powerful being
2. Referring to women who possess extraordinary strength or capabilities, often likened to giants in stature or influence
3. Describing mythological or fictional women characterized by their towering height and dominating presence in stories

Etymology: "Giantesses" is the plural of "giantess," which is a noun formed by adding the feminine suffix "-ess" to "giant." The suffix came into English through Old French, which had its own feminine endings of the same kind, and the Middle English form "geauntesse" appears in the record with the same sense as the modern word: a female giant. The base word "giant" arrived in English earlier and carried the idea of a huge being, often a figure of myth or legend, so "giantess" simply pairs that sense with a female referent. The "-ess" ending is one of several English suffixes borrowed from French that mark a feminine noun, as in "actress" or "princess."