titanic
/taɪˈtænɪk/ adjective, proper noun, noun
Forms the Titanic Titanics
- adjective (not comparable) Of or relating to the Titans, a race of gods in Greek mythology.
- adjective (comparable) Having great size, or great force, power, or strength.
- adjective (not comparable) Of a conflict or contest: involving equally powerful participants.
- adjective (inorganic chemistry) Of or relating to titanium, especially tetravalent titanium.
- adjective (mineralogy) Of a mineral, especially iron ore: containing titanium, or from which titanium may be extracted.
- adjective (not comparable) Of or relating to the Titans, a race of giant gods in Greek mythology.
- proper noun The RMS Titanic, an ocean liner, thought by the public to be unsinkable, that sank on its maiden voyage on 15 April 1912 after colliding with an iceberg. “The Titanic story inspired a movie considered as one of the best of all time.”
- noun A venture that fails spectacularly, especially one perceived as overconfident.
Synonyms
titanian titaniferous titanical ample big exceeding cosmic bodacious broad commodious considerable expansive good-sized full generous giant grand great hefty hench
Antonyms
compact fun size fun-sized ickle insignificant lit'l little low modest mini petty pint-sized
Etymology
See Titanic.
From titan(ium) + -ic (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives from nouns), in the case of sense 1 (“of or relating to titanium”) modelled after French titanique.
From Late Latin Titanicus, or its etymon Ancient Greek Τιτανικός (Titanikós, “of or relating to the Titans”), from Τιτᾶνες (Titânes, “Titans”) + -ικός (-ikós, “suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives”). Τιτᾶνες (Titânes) is the nominative or vocative plural of Τῑτᾱ́ν (Tītā́n, “a Titan”), and then possibly:
* from τῐ́σῐς (tĭ́sĭs, “payment; atonement, penalty, punishment, retribution, reward; vengeance”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kʷey- (“to pay; to avenge”); or
* from τιταίνω (titaínō, “to extend, stretch”), from τείνω (teínō, “to extend, stretch; to spread; to exert, push to the limit, strain”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ten- (“to extend, stretch”); or
* from τίτο (títo, “sun; day”), originally borrowed from Anatolian.
The English word is analyzable as Titan + -ic (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives from nouns).
The proper noun is derived from Titanic (etymology 1, adjective senses 1 and 2.1), as the ship was the largest and thought to be the strongest in the world at the time it was constructed. The common noun is derived from the name of the ship.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Of or relating to Titans, or fabled giants of ancient mythology; hence, enormous in size or strength; as, Titanic structures.
- adjective Of or pertaining to titanium; derived from, or containing, titanium; specifically, designating those compounds of titanium in which it has a higher valence as contrasted with the titanous compounds. Titanic acid (Chem.), a white amorphous powder, Ti.(OH)4, obtained by decomposing certain titanates; --called also normal titanic acid. By extension, any one of a series of derived acids, called also metatitanic acid, polytitanic acid, etc. -- Titanic iron ore. (Min.) See Menaccanite.
Etymology [Cf. F. titanique.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “titanic”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details