noun

gill

gihl

noun

The breathing organ on the side of a fish or other water-dwelling animal, used to take oxygen from the water.

"You can tell a fish is fresh if its gills are bright red rather than brown."

"The gills lifted and closed as the fish struggled on the line."

One of the thin, blade-like ridges under a mushroom cap that release its spores.

"She checked the colour of the gills to help identify the mushroom."

A small unit of liquid measure for spirits, roughly a quarter of a pint (the exact amount varies by country).

"The old recipe called for a gill of brandy."

verb

To remove the gills and guts from a fish while preparing it.

"He gilled and scaled the trout right at the riverbank."

How to Use Gill

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishUsually the breathing part of a fish; less commonly, a small liquid measure or a mushroom's spore ridges.

Common mistake

When it means the liquid measure, it is pronounced "jill", not with a hard G like the fish part.

Common pairings

red gills gills of a mushroom a gill of whisky

Word Forms

gilled past tense, gilled past tense, gills plural, gills plural, gills plural, gills plural, Gills plural, gills singular, gills singular

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Can you complete this real example?

You can tell a fish is fresh if its _____ are bright red rather than brown.

Etymology

From a Middle English word for the fish organ, related to Old Norse and Scandinavian words for gills or lips — not connected to the given name Gill, which is a short form of Julian or Gillian.

Synonyms

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branchia

Rhymes for gill

ill kill mill sill bill will till hill fill Jill dill pill

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