noun Uncommon

gutter

GUHT-uh

Gutter (noun) means a channel along the edge of a road or roof that carries away rainwater. Example: “Leaves had clogged the gutter, so water was spilling over the edge of the roof.”

noun

A channel along the edge of a road or roof that carries away rainwater.

"Leaves had clogged the gutter, so water was spilling over the edge of the roof."

"The car splashed through a puddle in the gutter as it passed."

A morally low or degrading state or environment.

"He claimed the tabloid had dragged the whole story into the gutter."

verb

(of a candle flame) To flicker unsteadily as it burns down, as if about to go out.

"The candle guttered in the draught before finally dying out."

How to use gutter

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA channel that drains water away — or, figuratively, a degraded, sordid state ("gutter press", "gutter language").

Common pairings

clean the gutters gutter press in the gutter

Word forms

more gutter comparative, guttered past tense, gutters plural, gutters plural, Gutters plural, gutters singular, most gutter superlative

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Leaves had clogged the _____, so water was spilling over the edge of the roof.

Etymology

From Old French goutiere, based on Latin gutta ("a drop"), since a gutter carries away drops of rainwater.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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toilet sewer trough

Related words

john bowl bathroom summit pot toilet throne trench

Rhymes for gutter

utter butter putter nutter mutter cutter Sutter stutter clutter flutter shutter woodcutter

See all rhymes for gutter →

Frequently asked questions

What does “gutter” mean?

The word “gutter” means a channel along the edge of a road or roof that carries away rainwater. In plain terms, a channel that drains water away — or, figuratively, a degraded, sordid state ("gutter press", "gutter language").

How do you pronounce “gutter”?

“Gutter” is pronounced GUHT-uh (/ˈɡʌt.ɚ/ in IPA).

How do you use “gutter” in a sentence?

Here is “gutter” used in a sentence: “Leaves had clogged the gutter, so water was spilling over the edge of the roof.”

What part of speech is “gutter”?

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

Where does the word “gutter” come from?

The word “gutter” comes from Latin. From Old French goutiere, based on Latin gutta ("a drop"), since a gutter carries away drops of rainwater.

Is “gutter” a common word?

“Gutter” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “gutter” have?

“Gutter” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a channel along the edge of a road or roof that carries away rainwater.

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