"G" Word Origins

Gujarat

Persian

From Gujarati ગુજરાત (gujrāt), possibly via Classical Persian.

Gujarati

Origin

From the Gujarati word ગુજરાતી (gujrātī), itself derived from the name Gujarat.

guk

Korean

Borrowed from Korean 국 (guk, "soup").

gul

Persian

From Classical Persian گُل (gul, "flower").

gula

Origin

Learned borrowing from Latin gula (“throat, gullet”).

gulag

Russian · 1918

Borrowed from the Russian acronym ГУЛАГ (GULAG), for the Soviet agency that ran the forced-labor camp network from 1918 to 1960.

gulch

Middle English

From an earlier form "gulsh," related to Middle English gulchen ("to gulp, spew"); probably connected to "gulp."

gulf

Ancient Greek

From Old French golf, from Italian golfo, ultimately from Ancient Greek kolpos ("bosom, gulf").

gull

Middle English

From Middle English gulle, from a Brythonic Celtic word for "seagull," related to Welsh gwylan.

gullet

Latin

From Middle English golet, via Old French goulet, from Latin gula ("throat").

gullible

Origin

Likely from "gull" ("to trick, dupe") plus the adjective suffix "-ible."

gulliver

Russian · 1962

The slang sense comes from Russian golová ("head"), popularized through the invented Nadsat slang in Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel "A Clockwork Orange," with its spelling influenced by the name Gulliver.

Gulls

Origin

From the many seagulls found in the seaside town of Torquay.

gully

Latin

Of uncertain origin, possibly a variant of Middle English golet ("throat, channel"), from Old French goulet, from Latin gula ("throat").

gulp

Middle English

From Middle English gulpen, probably of imitative origin, related to Dutch and German words for gushing or gulping.

gulping

Origin

From gulp + -ing.

gum

Old English

From Old English gōma ("palate"), from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "palate," ultimately linked to a word meaning "to gape or yawn."

guma

Origin

Borrowed from Uyghur گۇما (guma).

gumball

Origin

From "gum" (chewing gum) plus "ball," describing its round shape.

gumbo

French

From Louisiana French gombo, likely via Louisiana Creole, ultimately from a Kimbundu word for okra.

gumiho

Korean

Borrowed from Korean 구미호 (gumiho, "nine-tailed fox").

gummer

Origin

From "gum" plus the agent suffix "-er."

gummi

German

From German Gummi ("rubber"), used as a brand name for a chewy German candy.

gummy

Origin

From gum (the sticky substance, and also the flesh around the teeth) plus the adjective-forming suffix -y.

Gump

Origin

Perhaps related to gumption. The term long pre-dates the slow-witted character from the 1994 film Forrest Gump.

gumption

Origin

Borrowed from Scots gumption ("common sense, shrewdness, drive"); its deeper roots are unclear, though it may be connected to an old word meaning "attention" or "heed".

gumshield

Origin

From gum + shield.

gumshoe

Origin

From gum (rubber) + shoe — rubber-soled shoes were associated with detectives who could move about unheard.

gun

Middle English

Traced to Middle English gunne, thought to derive from Gunnhild, a Norse female name once given as a nickname to siege engines and cannons — the name combines Old Norse words both meaning "battle".

guna

Sanskrit

From Sanskrit गुण (guṇá), meaning "quality" or "attribute".

gunboat

Origin

A compound of gun and boat.

gunfight

Origin

From gun + fight.

gunfighter

Origin

From gun + fighter.

gunfire

Origin

From gun + fire.

gunge

Origin

First attested around 1935–40. Probably an alteration of gunk.

gunk

Origin

Originally from Gunk, a trademarked name for a liquid soap product, likely blending "grime" and "funk".

gunman

Origin

From gun + -man.

Gunn

Old Norse

From Old Norse Gunnr.

gunnel

Origin

From Middle English gonnewalle, itself from gonne (“gun”) + wale, as it used to support the ship's guns; equivalent to gun + wale.

Gunner

Origin

From gun, referring to someone who operates one.

gunnery

Origin

From gun + the noun-forming suffix -ery.

gunny

Origin

A shortening of "gunnery sergeant".

gunplay

Origin

From gun + play.

gunpoint

Origin

From gun + point (the tip/muzzle a gun is aimed with).

gunpowder

Origin

From gun + powder.

gunroom

Origin

From gun + room.

gunsel

Origin

From Yiddish גענדזל (gendzl, “gosling”), from Middle High German gensel, diminutive of gans (“goose”).

gunshot

Origin

From gun + shot.