gesture
Americannoun
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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:
He was permitted to leave China in 1990, thanks to the intervention of former President Richard Nixon, who convinced Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping that this humanitarian gesture would improve U.S.-China relations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
The pre-match gesture also highlighted the differing approaches among players and clubs to the Ceuta campaign.
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
"Donald, if you're listening, I am very grateful. It's a very good gesture," Carney said, calling Trump "a very good host."
From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026
The plot, expanded from Thompson-Hernandez’s Sundance-winning 2022 short of the same name, is more like a gesture toward the family’s unspoken drama.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
She sat for just a moment, studying me, then raised her right forefoot in a hand-shaking gesture.
From This Side of Wild by Gary Paulsen
Reporters in the room could not hear the exchange, but the BBC saw exasperated facial expressions and gestures from Clancy's lawyer.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
In doing all this, James is also determined to unwind the cliches of gay fiction: the tragic victim, the heartwarming gestures of solidarity, the blunt porniness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
CEOs have groused that these can seem like token gestures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Silent cinema performers used their whole bodies — eyes, gestures, poses — as narrative devices.
From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2026
He gestures for her to move to the center of the stage, unable to take his eyes from her as he announces her to the mostly empty theater.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
He gestured at one point, a waved arm that suggested he wasn't over-burdened with runners ahead of him.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
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
He gestured toward his wife, who stood behind a counter usually filled with premade food such as enchiladas and chiles relleno.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026
Penelope slid off Mama Woof and gestured for the admiral to get on.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
"Instead of water, oil comes out," said retired military officer Hector Valero Balestrini, gesturing toward a hillside where crude oozes naturally from the ground.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 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
Barzar said, gesturing for a customer in line to move to an open register.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
"We want to push justice to investigate," he says, gesturing to the towering new buildings surrounding Tirana's central Skenderbeg Square.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
“What are you doing with that?” he asks, gesturing at the book under her arm.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
