English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

gossip

noun

Casual talk about other people's private affairs, often unverified or spread out of curiosity.

gossiping

noun

The act of spreading talk or rumors about other people's private lives.

got

verb

Past tense and past participle of "get" — to have received, obtained, or acquired something.

gotcha

interjection

Casual way of saying "I understand" or "I've got it".

goth

adjective

Relating to goth music, fashion, or the goth subculture.

Gothenburg

proper noun

A major port city on the west coast of Sweden, the country's second largest.

Gothic

adjective

Relating to the medieval European architectural style with tall pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and large stained-glass windows.

GOTO

noun

In programming, an instruction that jumps execution straight to another labeled point in the code, skipping the normal top-to-bottom flow.

gots

verb

Non-standard, informal form of "has got" or "have got," used in casual speech.

Gott

name

A surname, possibly derived from the German word for God.

gotten

adjective

Obtained or acquired.

Gottfried

name

A masculine given name and surname of German origin, meaning "peace of God."

Gotti

name

An Italian surname, notably borne by American mobster John Gotti.

Gottlieb

name

A German surname.

Gotto

name

An Italian surname.

Gouda

noun

A pale yellow Dutch cheese, made from cow's milk, that ranges from soft and mild to firm and nutty as it ages.

gouge

noun

A chisel with a curved blade, used to cut grooves or hollows into wood or stone.

gouging

noun

The act of cutting or scooping something out with a gouge, or of badly overcharging someone.

goulash

noun

A hearty stew of beef, vegetables, and paprika, associated with Hungarian cooking.

Gould

name

A surname, and the name of several small places across the United States.

gourd

noun

A hard-shelled fruit from a climbing or trailing vine in the pumpkin and squash family.

gourmet

noun

Someone with refined, expert taste in food and drink.

gout

noun

A painful form of arthritis caused by a build-up of uric acid crystals in the joints, often striking the big toe.

govern

verb

To run the political affairs of a country, state, or region.

governance

noun

The system, process, or authority by which an organization or country is directed and controlled.

governess

noun

A woman employed to educate children in their own home, typically living with the family.

governmental

adjective

Relating to a government or to the act of governing.

governor

noun

The elected or appointed head of a state, province, or similar region.

Govinda

name

A name of the Hindu god Krishna, meaning "finder of cows"; also a masculine given name used in India, sometimes transliterated as Govind.

gowan

noun

A daisy, especially the common daisy — a term still used in Scottish and northern English dialect.

Gower

name

A surname, and a peninsula in southern Wales; also used as a place name in the United States and Australia.

gown

noun

A long, flowing dress, especially one worn for a formal occasion.

goy

noun

A non-Jewish person, from a Jewish perspective; a gentile.

goya

noun

Bitter melon, a bumpy green gourd with a sharp, bitter taste, popular in Okinawan and other East Asian cooking.

GPS

noun

A satellite-based system used to determine a precise location on Earth (short for Global Positioning System).

Gra

name

A traditional Hebrew acronym referring to Elijah ben Shlomo Zalman, the influential 18th-century rabbi known as the Vilna Gaon.

grab

verb

To take hold of something suddenly and firmly.

grabber

noun

A person or device that grabs or seizes something.

grabbing

noun

The act of seizing or snatching something.

grabby

adjective

Inclined to grab things, often rudely or greedily.

Grable

name

A surname, notably borne by American actress Betty Grable.

grace

noun

Smooth, elegant movement or manner.

graceful

adjective

Moving or shaped in a smooth, elegant way.

gracefully

adverb

In a smooth, elegant, or dignified way.

Graces

noun

In Greek mythology, the three goddesses (Euphrosyne, Aglaia, and Thalia) who personified charm, beauty, and goodwill.

gracias

interjection

Thank you (borrowed directly from Spanish, used in English as an informal way of saying thanks).

Gracie

name

A pet form of the given name Grace.

gracious

adjective

Warm, polite, and considerate toward others, especially in a way that shows good manners.

graciously

adverb

In a warm, polite, and considerate way.

Grad

noun

Informal short form of "graduate," someone who has just finished school, college, or university.

grade

noun

A mark or score showing how well someone did on a test or in a course.

graded

adjective

Having been leveled or smoothed, especially of land or a road surface.

grader

noun

A heavy construction machine used to level and smooth the ground.

grades

noun

Plural of grade — marks earned on schoolwork, or the school years before high school (US usage).

gradient

noun

The steepness or slope of a road, hill, or surface.

gradual

adjective

Happening slowly, in small steps, rather than suddenly.

gradually

adverb

Slowly, in small steps over time, rather than all at once.

graduate

noun

A person who has completed a degree or course of study at a school, college, or university.

graduated

adjective

Having successfully completed a degree or course of study.

graduation

noun

The act of completing a degree or course of study.

Grady

name

A surname of Irish origin.

Graeme

name

A variant spelling of the surname and given name Graham.

Graf

noun

A German or Austrian nobleman equivalent to a count.

graff

noun

An overseer or steward (archaic).

graffiti

noun

Words, drawings, or designs painted or scratched onto a wall or other public surface, often without permission.

graft

noun

A piece of living tissue, skin, or plant shoot transplanted onto or into another body or plant to grow there.

grafting

noun

The process of attaching a shoot or bud from one plant onto another so they grow together.

Grafton

name

The name of numerous towns and places across England, the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

graham

noun

Whole-wheat flour made by grinding the entire wheat kernel, including the bran.

grail

noun

In legend, the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper, sought after by knights in medieval stories.

grain

noun

The edible seeds of cereal crops such as wheat, corn, rice, or barley, or the crops that produce them.

Grainger

name

A surname originally meaning someone who dealt in grain (a variant of Granger).

grains

noun

Small hard seeds from cereal plants (such as wheat, rice, or barley), especially as harvested for food.

grainy

adjective

Having a rough, granular texture, made up of small visible particles.

gram

noun

A metric unit of mass equal to one-thousandth of a kilogram.

gramercy

interjection

An old-fashioned way of saying "many thanks" or expressing gratitude.

grammar

noun

The set of rules governing how words are structured and combined into sentences in a language.

Grammy

noun

One of the awards given annually by the (US) Recording Academy for achievement in music.

gramophone

noun

An old-fashioned device that plays music from vinyl records using a needle and horn or speaker.

grampa

noun

Informal spelling of grandpa, used mainly by or with children.

gramps

noun

Informal word for grandfather.

grams

noun

Plural of gram, either the metric unit of mass or an informal word for grandmother.

gran

noun

An informal, affectionate term for a grandmother.

Granada

name

A city and province in Andalusia, Spain, famous for the Alhambra palace; also a city and department in Nicaragua, and several small U.S. places.

granary

noun

A building or structure used to store harvested grain.

grand

adj

Impressively large, important, or magnificent.

grandchild

noun

A child of one's son or daughter.

granddad

noun

An informal word for grandfather.

granddaddy

noun

A very informal, affectionate word for grandfather.

granddaughter

noun

A daughter of one's son or daughter.

grande

adj

Describing a mid-sized coffee-shop drink, larger than a "tall" but smaller than a "venti," typically around 16 ounces.

grandeur

noun

Impressive beauty, size, or splendor.

grandfather

noun

The father of one's mother or father.

grandiose

adj

Extremely ambitious or impressive in scale.

grandma

noun

An informal, affectionate word for grandmother.

grandmother

noun

The mother of one's mother or father.

grandpa

noun

An informal word for grandfather.

grandparent

noun

The parent of one's mother or father; a grandmother or grandfather.

grandson

noun

A son of one's son or daughter.

grandstand

noun

The main covered seating area at a stadium, racetrack, or arena.

grandstanding

noun

Showy behavior aimed at impressing an audience rather than achieving something genuine.

Grandview

name

A common place name for towns and villages in Canada and the United States.

grange

noun

A farmhouse together with its outbuildings, especially one historically tied to a monastery or manor.

granger

noun

A member of the Grange, a farmers' fraternal organisation (formally the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry) founded to support agricultural interests.

granite

noun

A hard, speckled igneous rock made mainly of quartz and feldspar, widely used in construction and countertops.

grannies

noun

Informal plural of granny — grandmothers, or affectionately, older women in general.

granny

noun

An informal, affectionate word for grandmother.

granola

noun

A breakfast food made of rolled oats, nuts, and dried fruit, often baked until crunchy.

grant

verb

To give someone permission, a right, or something they have asked for.

granted

adv

Used to admit a point before making a contrasting one.

Grantham

name

A market town in Lincolnshire, England, and a surname derived from it; also used as a place name in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

granting

noun

The act of formally giving or approving something, such as permission or funding.

Grants

noun

Plural of grant — sums of money awarded for a specific purpose, such as research, education, or business support.

Granville

name

An English surname of Old French origin, also a masculine given name and a place name found across France, the UK, Canada, Australia, and the United States.

grape

noun

A small, round, juicy fruit that grows in clusters on a vine, eaten fresh or used to make wine, juice, and raisins.

grapefruit

noun

A large, round citrus fruit with a tart, slightly bitter flavor, ranging from pale yellow to pink or red inside.

Grapes

name

A surname.

grapevine

noun

The woody vine on which grapes grow.

graph

noun

A diagram showing the relationship between sets of numbers or quantities, often using lines, bars, or points.

graphic

adj

Presented visually, through drawings, images, or pictures.

graphics

noun

Visual images or designs, especially those created or displayed by a computer.

graphite

noun

A soft, dark grey form of carbon used in pencil "lead," lubricants, and industrial materials.

grappa

noun

A strong Italian brandy distilled from the leftover skins, seeds, and stems of pressed grapes.

grapple

verb

To struggle hard with a difficult problem or situation.

grappling

noun

The act of physically wrestling with or gripping onto someone or something.

Gras

name

A French surname.

grasp

verb

To grip something firmly, typically with the hand.

grasping

adj

Greedy and overly eager for money or possessions.

grass

noun

A common green plant with narrow leaves that covers lawns, fields, and meadows.

grassed

adj

Covered with a layer of grass.

grasshopper

noun

A jumping insect with long back legs, known for making chirping sounds by rubbing its legs or wings together.

grassland

noun

A wide, open area of land covered mainly in grass, with few or no trees.

grassroots

adj

Coming from ordinary people at a local level, rather than from leaders or organizations at the top.

grassy

adj

Covered with grass, or having the qualities of grass.

grate

noun

A metal frame of bars used to hold fuel in a fireplace, or a metal grid that lets small things pass through while blocking larger ones.

grated

adj

Shredded into small pieces using a grater.

grateful

adj

Feeling or showing thanks and appreciation for something.

gratefully

adv

In a way that shows thanks or appreciation.

grater

noun

A kitchen tool with a rough, sharp-edged surface used to shred food such as cheese or vegetables into small pieces.

gratification

noun

A feeling of pleasure or satisfaction, especially from getting what one wants.

gratifying

adj

Giving a feeling of pleasure or satisfaction.

gratin

noun

A dish topped with a browned crust of breadcrumbs or cheese, typically baked or grilled.

grating

adj

Harsh or unpleasant, especially describing a sound or voice.

gratis

adj

Given without charge; free.

gratitude

noun

A feeling of thankfulness and appreciation.

gratuitous

adj

Done without any good reason, especially excessive or unnecessary (often used of violence or offense).

grave

noun

A hole dug in the ground to bury a dead body.

gravedigger

noun

A person whose job is to dig graves for burials.

gravel

noun

Small loose stones and pebbles, often used to surface roads, paths, or driveways.

gravely

adv

In a very serious or solemn manner.