gallon
GA-luhn
Gallon (noun) means a unit of liquid volume, roughly 3.8 liters in the US and 4.5 liters in the UK. Example: “He filled the tank with ten gallons of gas.”
noun
1
A unit of liquid volume, roughly 3.8 liters in the US and 4.5 liters in the UK.
"He filled the tank with ten gallons of gas."
"The recipe called for a gallon of milk."
"Our old car uses about a gallon of fuel every thirty miles."
How to use gallon
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA common unit for measuring liquids.
UK vs US
A US gallon (3.785 liters) is smaller than a UK imperial gallon (4.546 liters) — always check which system is being used.
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Plural
- gallons
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He filled the tank with ten _____ of gas.
Etymology
From Old Northern French galun, ultimately traced back to a Vulgar Latin word for a vessel or container.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for gallon
See all rhymes for gallon →Frequently asked questions
What does “gallon” mean?
The word “gallon” means a unit of liquid volume, roughly 3.8 liters in the US and 4.5 liters in the UK. In plain terms, a common unit for measuring liquids.
How do you pronounce “gallon”?
“Gallon” is pronounced GA-luhn (/ˈɡælən/ in IPA).
How do you use “gallon” in a sentence?
Here is “gallon” used in a sentence: “He filled the tank with ten gallons of gas.”
What part of speech is “gallon”?
“Gallon” is a noun.
Where does the word “gallon” come from?
The word “gallon” comes from Vulgar Latin. From Old Northern French galun, ultimately traced back to a Vulgar Latin word for a vessel or container.
Is “gallon” a common word?
“Gallon” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between a US gallon and a UK gallon?
A US gallon is about 3.8 liters, while a UK (imperial) gallon is larger, at about 4.5 liters. This means recipes, fuel figures, and other measurements given in gallons can differ noticeably depending on which country's standard is used.
How many quarts or liters are in a gallon?
A US gallon equals 4 US quarts and roughly 3.8 liters, while a UK gallon equals 4 imperial quarts and roughly 4.5 liters. Always check which gallon standard is intended, since the US and UK definitions differ.
Where is the gallon commonly used today?
The gallon is still commonly used in the United States for measuring fuel, milk, and other liquids, and in the UK mainly for fuel economy figures, even though most of the world uses liters. Most countries outside the US have moved to the metric system for liquid measurement.
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