English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

Garrick

noun

A large predatory fish, also called the leerfish, found along African and Mediterranean coasts.

Garrido

name

A Spanish and Portuguese surname meaning "handsome" or "elegant."

garrison

noun

A permanent military post, or the troops stationed there.

Garrity

name

An Irish surname anglicized from Gaelic.

garrow

noun

Garo people

Garry

name

A masculine given name, a variant spelling of Gary.

Garson

name

A surname and given name, notably borne by actress Greer Garson.

garter

noun

A band worn around the leg to hold up a sock or stocking.

garth

noun

A small enclosed yard or garden, especially one surrounded by a cloister or attached to a house.

garuda

noun

A giant bird-like figure from Hindu and Buddhist mythology, often shown as part man and part eagle.

garvey

noun

A flat-bottomed boat, traditionally used along the New Jersey shore.

Garvin

name

An Irish surname and given name, a variant of Galvin.

Garwood

name

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "triangular wood."

Gary

noun

Synonym of Gary Glitter (“anus”).

Garza

name

A Spanish surname derived from a word for "heron."

gas

noun

A state of matter, like air, that has no fixed shape or volume and spreads to fill its container.

Gascoigne

name

An English surname derived from Gascony, a historical region of southwestern France, notably borne by footballer Paul Gascoigne.

gaseous

adj

Existing in the form of a gas.

gash

noun

A long, deep cut in the skin or in a surface.

gasket

noun

A thin piece of material, such as rubber or metal, placed between two surfaces to stop gas or liquid from leaking out.

gasoline

noun

(US) A flammable liquid fuel refined from petroleum, used mainly to power car engines; petrol.

gasp

verb

To suddenly draw in breath, usually from shock or surprise.

Gaspar

name

A masculine given name, a variant of Caspar, traditionally one of the three biblical Magi.

gasping

adj

Struggling to breathe, especially from exertion or shock.

gassed

adj

Poisoned or harmed by exposure to toxic gas.

gassing

noun

The act of poisoning someone with toxic gas.

gassy

adj

Full of gas, or likely to produce gas in the stomach.

Gaston

noun

In rock climbing, a move where a climber pushes sideways on a hold with the thumb pointing down and the elbow out, rather than pulling.

gastric

adj

Relating to the stomach.

gat

noun

Slang for a handgun.

gate

noun

A movable barrier that closes an opening in a wall, fence, or entrance.

gated

adj

Fitted with a gate, or having restricted, controlled access.

gatekeeper

noun

A person or group that controls who or what gets access to something.

gateway

noun

An entrance or opening that can be closed with a gate.

Gath

name

One of the five ancient Philistine city-states, mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as the hometown of Goliath.

gather

verb

To bring separate things or people together in one place.

gathered

verb

Past tense and past participle of "gather" — to bring together or collect, or to come together as a group.

gathering

noun

A meeting or get-together of people, often social.

Gatling

noun

A rapid-fire gun with several rotating barrels, an early forerunner of the modern machine gun.

gato

noun

Spanish word for "cat," sometimes borrowed casually into English speech or writing.

gator

noun

(informal) An alligator.

Gatorade

noun

A brand-name sports drink designed to replace fluids, sugar, and salts lost through sweat during exercise.

gatsby

noun

In South African English, a large sandwich made from a whole loaf filled with fries, meat, and sauce.

Gatwick

name

A major international airport located south of London, England.

gauche

adj

Socially awkward or clumsy; lacking tact or polish, and prone to embarrassing missteps.

gaucho

noun

A skilled horseman and cattle-herder of the South American grasslands, especially Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil.

gaudy

adj

Showy or overdecorated to the point of looking cheap or tasteless.

gauge

verb

To measure something precisely, especially using a dedicated instrument.

Gauguin

name

A French surname, notably borne by the Post-Impressionist painter Paul Gauguin.

Gaul

noun

A native of the ancient region of Gaul, or, poetically, a Frenchman.

gault

noun

A stiff, bluish clay used especially in brickmaking.

Gauna

name

A surname of Basque origin, tied to a particular place, that later spread through Spanish-speaking families.

gaunt

adj

Unhealthily thin, especially with a hollow, drawn look from hunger, illness, or exhaustion.

gauntlet

noun

A heavy protective glove, historically part of a suit of armour, traditionally thrown down as a challenge to fight (as in "throw down the gauntlet").

Gaurav

name

A male first name, popular in India, that comes from a Sanskrit word for dignity or pride.

Gauri

name

A Hindu goddess, often identified with a fair or radiant form of the goddess Parvati.

gauss

noun

A unit of magnetic field strength in the older CGS system of measurement.

Gaussian

adj

Relating to Carl Friedrich Gauss or, especially, to the bell-shaped "normal" statistical distribution named after him.

Gautam

name

A male first name from Sanskrit, also the surname of the historical Buddha.

gauze

verb

To cover or dress a wound with gauze, or to make something look thin and hazy like gauze fabric.

Gav

name

A casual short form of the name Gavin.

gavel

noun

A small ceremonial mallet used by a judge, chairperson, or auctioneer to call for order or to confirm a decision.

Gavin

name

A male first name with Celtic roots, popular across English-speaking countries.

Gaviria

name

A surname of Basque origin, common in Spanish-speaking countries.

Gawain

name

One of the most celebrated knights of the Round Table, and King Arthur's nephew, in medieval legend.

gawk

verb

To stare at something openly and stupidly, often out of surprise or rudeness.

Gay

adj

Homosexual; romantically or sexually attracted to people of the same sex.

Gaya

name

An ancient confederation of small kingdoms in what is now southern Korea, active roughly between the 1st and 6th centuries.

Gayatri

name

A classical Sanskrit poetic metre built from short lines of eight syllables, best known from the Gayatri Mantra.

gaydar

noun

The informal, supposed ability to tell whether someone is gay based on subtle cues in their appearance or behaviour.

Gaye

name

A surname, and also a man's or woman's first name, that started out as a nickname.

gayer

adj

Comparative form of "gay," meaning more cheerful or more brightly colored (dated sense).

Gayle

name

A female given name, a fanciful spelling of Gail, shortened form of Abigail.

Gaylord

name

An American surname, and a once-popular boy's first name derived from it, common up to the 1960s.

Gaynor

name

A female first name from Welsh, a variant of Guinevere, popular in Britain during the 1960s and 70s.

Gays

name

A surname.

Gaz

name

A casual nickname for someone named Gareth or Gary, mostly used in the UK.

Gaza

name

A historical African empire and the Nguni ethnic group linked to it, in what is now southern Mozambique and nearby areas.

gaze

verb

To look at something steadily and for a long time, often in wonder, admiration, or deep thought.

gazebo

noun

A freestanding roofed structure, typically open-sided, built in a garden or park for shade or a scenic view.

gazelle

noun

A small, slender, fast-running antelope found mainly in Africa and Asia.

gazette

noun

A newspaper, especially one that comes out regularly.

gazillion

noun

An enormous, deliberately vague number, used informally rather than as an exact figure.

gazing

noun

The act of looking at something steadily and for a long time.

gazpacho

noun

A chilled Spanish soup made from raw vegetables such as tomato, cucumber, and pepper, blended with oil and vinegar.

ge

noun

The name of the Cyrillic letter Г, г, used in Russian and other Slavic languages.

gear

noun

Equipment or clothing needed for a particular activity.

gearbox

noun

The enclosed unit in a vehicle that houses the gears and connects to the gear lever.

geared

adj

Fitted with, or connected through, a system of gears.

gearing

noun

The set of gears in a machine, or the ratio between them.

Geary

name

A surname with several separate origins across Irish, English, and German family lines.

gecko

noun

A small lizard, often nocturnal, known for its large eyes and its ability to climb smooth vertical surfaces.

ged

noun

A dialect word for the pike, a freshwater fish.

Geddes

name

A Scottish surname, also used as a place name in Scotland and North America.

gee

intj

An exclamation of surprise, frustration, or mild emphasis.

geek

noun

A person deeply and enthusiastically interested in a particular subject, often technology, science fiction, or games.

geeky

adj

Having the interests or manner typical of a geek.

geet

adj

Informal slang for "great."

Geeta

name

A female given name of South Asian origin, a variant of Gita.

geez

intj

An exclamation of surprise, frustration, or exasperation.

geezer

noun

An old man, especially one seen as eccentric or cranky.

Gehrig

name

A German-derived surname, notably borne by baseball player Lou Gehrig.

Geiger

name

A German surname, familiar to English speakers mainly through the Geiger counter, the radiation-detecting device named after physicist Hans Geiger.

geisha

noun

A Japanese woman trained as a professional entertainer, skilled in traditional arts such as music, dance, and conversation.

gel

noun

A soft, semi-solid substance somewhere between a liquid and a solid, such as hair gel or a jelly-like material.

gelatin

noun

A flavorless protein made by boiling down animal collagen, used to thicken or set foods.

gelato

noun

An Italian-style frozen dessert similar to ice cream but denser and typically lower in fat.

gelding

noun

A castrated male horse.

Gellar

name

A surname of German or Yiddish origin.

Geller

name

A surname of German or Yiddish origin.

gem

noun

A precious or semi-precious stone, especially one cut and polished for jewelry.

Gemini

name

A constellation and zodiac sign representing twins, associated with the period from late May to late June.

gemma

noun

A small bud-like structure some plants and simple animals use to reproduce asexually.

gemstone

noun

A mineral or stone that has been cut and polished for use in jewelry.

Gen

noun

Informal British slang for information or facts.

gena

noun

In zoology, the cheek area of an animal's head, or the corresponding part of an insect's head near the jaw.

gendarme

noun

A member of a military force assigned to police duties, especially in France.

gendarmerie

noun

A military force responsible for policing the civilian population, especially in France and similar countries.

gender

noun

The state of being male, female, or another identity, often understood as bound up with social roles and personal identity, distinct from biological sex.

Genders

name

A surname derived from an old French word for "son-in-law."

gene

noun

A segment of DNA that carries the instructions for a particular inherited trait.

genealogy

noun

A person's or family's line of descent traced back through their ancestors.

general

adj

Applying to or covering a whole group rather than one specific part; overall.

generalissimo

noun

The supreme commander of a country's armed forces, especially one who also runs the government.

generally

adv

Usually or in most cases; as a rule.

generate

verb

To produce or create something, especially as an effect or output.

generation

noun

All the people born and living at around the same time, seen as a group.

generator

noun

A machine that converts mechanical energy or fuel into electricity.

generic

adj

Applying broadly to a whole class or category rather than one specific item; not brand-specific.

generosity

noun

Willingness to give freely, whether money, time, or help, without expecting anything back.

generous

adj

Willing to give more than is expected or required, especially money, time, or help.

generously

adv

In a way that gives freely or more than expected.

genesis

noun

The origin or beginning of something.

genetic

adj

Relating to genes or heredity.

genetically

adv

In a way that relates to genes or heredity.

geneticist

noun

A scientist who studies genes and heredity.

genetics

noun

The branch of biology concerned with genes, heredity, and variation between organisms.

Geneva

name

The city in Switzerland that serves as the capital of Geneva canton and hosts many international organisations.

Genevieve

name

A female first name from French, borne by the patron saint of Paris.

Genghis

name

Used to refer to Genghis Khan, the 13th-century founder and first ruler of the Mongol Empire.

genial

adj

Friendly, warm, and pleasant in manner.

genie

noun

A supernatural spirit in Arabic and Islamic folklore, often invisible, capable of taking human or animal form.

genii

noun

Plural of genius, referring to guardian spirits in Roman belief.

genital

adj

Relating to the sex organs or to reproduction.

genitalia

noun

The external and internal sex organs, considered together.

genitals

noun

The external sex organs; another word for genitalia.

genius

noun

A person with exceptional intelligence, talent, or creative ability.

Gennaro

name

An Italian surname.

genny

noun

(informal, chiefly British/Irish) Short for generator, a machine that produces electricity.

geno

noun

(informal, video games) Short for genocide, especially referring to eliminating every enemy or monster in a game.