gesture
Americannoun
-
gestures
plural
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a movement or position of the hand, arm, body, head, or face that is expressive of an idea, opinion, emotion, etc..
the gestures of an orator; a threatening gesture.
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the use of such movements to express thought, emotion, etc.
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any action, courtesy, communication, etc., intended for effect or as a formality; considered expression; demonstration.
a gesture of friendship.
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Digital Technology. a particular movement of the body, typically the fingers or hand, used to control or interact with a digital device (often used attributively).
a gesture command;
Use a two-finger pinching gesture on your touchscreen to zoom in or out.
verb (used without object)
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gestures,
present (3rd person singular)
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gestured,
past participle, past
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gesturing
present participle
verb (used with object)
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gestures,
present (3rd person singular)
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gestured,
past participle, past
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gesturing
present participle
noun
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a motion of the hands, head, or body to emphasize an idea or emotion, esp while speaking
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something said or done as a formality or as an indication of intention
a political gesture
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obsolete the manner in which a person bears himself; posture
verb
Usage
What does gesture mean? A gesture is a movement of the hand, arms, or other body part that is intended to indicate or emphasize something, often when speaking. In other words, gestures are body movements that express something. For example, a wave of the hand is a common gesture used to say hello to someone. In this sense, gesture is also commonly used as a verb. A gesture can also be an action done for a specific reason, such as to show gratitude, as in Sending him flowers was a nice gesture. In the context of digital technology, we interact with touchscreen devices using gestures—movements such as swiping a finger from side to side or using two fingers to “pinch” the screen and zoom in and out. Example: When Tom walked into the office, his boss made a gesture to him to have a seat so they could talk.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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gesturesimple
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gesturessimple
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have gesturedperfect
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has gesturedperfect
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am gesturingprogressive
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are gesturingprogressive
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is gesturingprogressive
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have been gesturingperfect progressive
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has been gesturingperfect progressive
Past
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gesturedsimple
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had gesturedperfect
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was gesturingprogressive
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were gesturingprogressive
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had been gesturingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of gesture
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin gestūra “mode of action, manner, bearing,” from Latin gest(us) “conducted” (past participle of gerere “to carry, conduct, display”) + -ūra -ure
Explanation
The thing to remember about gesture, whether you're using it as a verb or a noun, is that not only is it a movement of the hands or body, but it's also a movement that has some meaning, intention, or emotion behind it. When you use gesture, you are entering into a whole history of human communication, because there is no language that exists entirely without gesture (a fun fact to bring up at parties). People can't communicate without gesture. It's so connected to intention that there is a phrase "empty gesture," used to mean an action or movement that is without genuine feeling.
Vocabulary lists containing gesture
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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"Of Mice and Men"
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"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"That was a gesture of thanks for what Jude had done," said Courtney.
From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2026
They described their move as a "gesture of fair play" as Mamore would progress through to the final, and Uberlandia will instead focus on the third-place match.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
In the adumbrated cityscapes and sunlit garden plots, he might remix an inherited gesture, shade or style of line with hazy neighborhood memories of Bursch Elementary or Burke Park.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026
That same gesture doesn’t work on the Duo.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
She hesitated for a moment, as if doubting the gesture, before taking it and dabbing her eyes.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
She made it a habit to visit nursing homes, speak with their residents and study their physicality from their gestures to their gaits.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2026
Rather than making the tributes a prominent part of the ceremony, the couple chose quieter gestures that carried personal meaning.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026
Their gestures were filmed as they recorded their lines, so that animators could incorporate those mannerisms into the movie.
From Barron's ● Oct. 25, 2026
For Bell, Ms. Fitzharris writes, “every patient was a text to be studied. Symptoms could divulge secrets, gestures could disclose clues” and minutiae help determine the prognosis of disease.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
He gestures to the empty seat across from him.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
Toward the end of the performance Raul stood and gestured to the crowd that they should stand and applaud.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
She gestured at it: “Treat me as though I were dead.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Littler also gestured that Van Veen was a "cry baby" and the pair did not speak for multiple weeks.
From BBC ● May 28, 2026
Anyway, before we could respond, he gestured at a TV mounted on the wall, level with the highest shelves groaning with organic kibble and handmade toys, and sang out, “Because there he is!”
From Salon ● May 2, 2026
She gestured with her body to the dragon.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
But on Sunday in Mexico City, 73 years of exasperated gesturing came to an end when Kimi Antonelli became Italy’s first F1 world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
Prescott can then be seen speaking to a Cowboys security employee and gesturing in the direction of the other man.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
"You see the water there?" he said, gesturing at the Gulf separating the UAE from the coasts of southern Iran.
From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026
"I'm happy for Kimi, of course. But I'm not supporting him like Ferrari, because Ferrari is up there," Thomas adds, gesturing high into the air.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
“You could want this,” he said, gesturing broadly around the room.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
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