jumbo

The word comes from Jumbo (1860–1885), a large African elephant bought in 1882 by American showman P. T. Barnum for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Some also trace it to the phrase 'mumbo jumbo.' Its roots may connect to Swahili jambo ('matter, thing') and jumbe ('chief, headman').

What began as the name of one famous elephant grew into a general word for anything of enormous size.

It may share distant roots with Swahili jambo, meaning 'matter' or 'thing,' and jumbe, meaning 'chief' or 'headman.'