gill

The word “gill” means the breathing organ on the side of a fish or other water-dwelling animal, used to take oxygen from the water. In plain terms, usually the breathing part of a fish; less commonly, a small liquid measure or a mushroom's spore ridges.

“Gill” is pronounced gihl (/ɡɪl/ in IPA).

Here is “gill” used in a sentence: “You can tell a fish is fresh if its gills are bright red rather than brown.”

Words with a similar meaning to “gill” include branchia.

Depending on how it is used, “gill” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “gill” comes from Middle English. 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.

“Gill” is an uncommon word in modern English.

“Gill” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the breathing organ on the side of a fish or other water-dwelling animal, used to take oxygen from the water.

When "gill" refers to the breathing organ of a fish or the ridges under a mushroom cap, it is typically pronounced with a hard "g" as in "give." When it refers to the small unit of liquid measure for spirits, it is usually pronounced with a soft "g," rhyming with "Jill." The spelling stays the same but pronunciation shifts by meaning.

To gill a fish means specifically to remove its gills and guts while preparing it, whereas filleting means removing the flesh from the bones in strips. Gilling is typically an early preparation step, while filleting is a separate step for portioning the meat.

A gill is a small traditional unit of liquid measure for spirits, roughly a quarter of a pint, though the exact amount can vary by country. It is a much smaller measure than a full pint or cup.

The gills of a mushroom are the thin, blade-like ridges found under its cap that release the mushroom's spores. They are a key feature used to identify mushroom species.