gesticulate

American  

[je-stik-yuh-leyt] / dʒɛˈstɪk yəˌleɪt /

verb (used without object)

gesticulated, gesticulating

1. to make or use gestures, especially in an animated or excited manner with or instead of speech.

   Synonyms:

   signal, wave, motion, gesture

---

verb (used with object)

gesticulated, gesticulating

1. to express by gesturing.

gesticulate British  

/ dʒɛˈstɪkjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. to express by or make gestures

---

Other Word Forms

• gesticulative
  adjective
• gesticulator
  noun
• gesticulatory
  adjective
• overgesticulate
  verb
• overgesticulative
  adjective
• overgesticulatively
  adverb
• ungesticulating
  adjective
• ungesticulative
  adjective
• ungesticulatory
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of gesticulate

1595–1605; < Latin gesticulātus (past participle of gesticulārī ), equivalent to Late Latin (assumed in Latin ) gesticul ( us ) gesture (diminutive of gestus; see gestic, -cule ¹) + -ātus -ate ¹

Explanation

When you gesticulate, you make sweeping and excited movements with your hands when speaking. Someone describing a scary car accident might gesticulate wildly. The verb gesticulate is related to the noun gesture. Gesture has stress on the first syllable, and gesticulate has the stress on the second syllable. Gesticulate, which comes from the Latin gesticulus meaning "to mimic," describes animated movements people make in conversation — with and without words. People who gesticulate could be said to talk with their hands!

Example Sentences

Gesticulate, jes-tik′ū-lāt, v.i. to make gestures when speaking: to play antic tricks.—adj.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

Suddenly The wind crashes through the tree-tops, Stripping away their orange-tiled domes; Stark blue skeletons, forbidding Gesticulate in my face.

From Goblins and Pagodas by Fletcher, John Gould