gargoyle

American  

[gahr-goil] / ˈgɑr gɔɪl /

noun

• gargoyles
  plural

1. a grotesquely carved figure of a human or animal.

2. a spout, terminating in a grotesque representation of a human or animal figure with open mouth, projecting from the gutter of a building for throwing rainwater clear of a building.

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gargoyle British  

/ ˈɡɑːɡɔɪl /

noun

1. a waterspout carved in the form of a grotesque face or creature and projecting from a roof gutter, esp of a Gothic church

2. any grotesque ornament or projection, esp on a building

3. a person with a grotesque appearance

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gargoyle Cultural  

1. A sculpture depicting grotesque human shapes or evil spirits used in many buildings of the Middle Ages, most notably on Gothic cathedrals (see also cathedral). Some gargoyles drained rainwater, sending it clear of the walls of the building.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• gargoyled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• gargoyles
  plural

Etymology

Origin of gargoyle

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English gargoile, from Old French gargouille, gargoule literally, “throat”; see gargle

Compare meaning

How does gargoyle compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• gargoyle vs. grotesque

Explanation

Gargoyle is a fearsome word for a monster. Fortunately, it's not a real monster. It's a grotesque carved beast sticking out from the gutter of a building, especially in Gothic architecture. If you've ever seen a statue of an ugly beast coming out of the side of the building, you've seen a gargoyle. There aren't a lot of pretty, friendly looking gargoyles in the world; they usually look frightening, strange, and grotesque (which is kind of a mix of really ugly and kind of bizarre). Gargoyles have a couple purposes. For one thing, they're part of the drainage system that keeps the building from flooding. Secondly, they're so nasty-looking that they should scare off evil spirits who would do harm to the building or the people inside. Too much water and too much evil are both bad for a building.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gargoyle gargoyles

A host of celebrity judges have to decide whether they’re seeing an elaborate cake or Halloween decor like a jack-o-lantern, a black cat and a gargoyle.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2025

"I see a gargoyle... something horrible, disgusting," she tells the BBC.

From BBC ● Jan. 9, 2025

Kimbrough also lent his voice to a gargoyle named Victor in Disney’s animated film “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 5, 2023

An open-mouthed frown suggests the mask of Greek tragedy; a pout transforms her into a gargoyle.

From New York Times ● Sep. 7, 2022

She looked alarmed as he ran past her, around the corner into Dumbledore’s corridor, where the lone gargoyle stood sentry.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

The architect’s mischievous side comes through in countless sketches for his famous gargoyles, which achieve “both anatomical coherence and a sense of demonic vitality.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 18, 2026

“The Brutalist” is a staggering and worthwhile epic that needed to scale back just a bit, like a building with one too many gargoyles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 24, 2025

Renaissance and Medieval pieces, and the “quality camp” or “fantasy furniture” he favored — weird and whimsical pieces embellished with mythical creatures; chairs sprouting antlers, torcheres bedecked with gargoyles, commodes atop griffin feet.

From New York Times ● Feb. 27, 2024

Water was discharged from the roof via gargoyles which were said to crouch in agony under the weight of their load.

From BBC ● Apr. 8, 2023

When he saw the weatherworn gargoyles atop the First Keep where it had happened, he got a queer tight feeling in his belly.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin