gig

¹ American  

[gig] / gɪg /

noun

1. a single professional engagement of one or more performers, especially of jazz or rock musicians.

   His band has a gig at a club in New Jersey.

2. a live performance, as on a stage.

   I went to see my friend's comedy gig.

3. any job, especially one of short or uncertain duration.

   Years ago he had a teaching gig out west somewhere.

---

adjective

1. relating to or being a job of short or uncertain duration.

   Gig workers don't receive benefits such as health insurance.

verb (used without object)

gigged, gigging

1. to work as a musician or other performer, especially in a single engagement.

   That vocalist has gigged with some of the biggest names in the business.

2. to work at any job, especially one of short or uncertain duration.

   He gigs as a clown at children’s birthday parties.

gig ² American  

[gig] / gɪg /

noun

Informal.

1. short for gigabyte.

---

gig ³ American  

[gig] / gɪg /

noun

1. a light, two-wheeled one-horse carriage.

2. Nautical.

   1. a light boat rowed with four, six, or eight long oars.

   2. a boat reserved for the use of the captain of a ship.

3. something that whirls.

4. Also called gig mill.  a roller containing teasels, used for raising nap on a fabric.

5. Obsolete. whirligig.

---

verb (used without object)

gigged, gigging

1. to ride in a gig.

2. to raise the nap on (a fabric).

gig ⁴ American  

[gig] / gɪg /

noun

1. a device, commonly four hooks secured back to back, for dragging through a school of fish to hook them through the body.

2. a spearlike device with a long, thick handle, used for spearing fish and frogs.

---

verb (used with object)

gigged, gigging

1. to catch or spear (a fish or frog) with a gig.

verb (used without object)

gigged, gigging

1. to catch fish or frogs with a gig.

gig ⁵ American  

[gig] / gɪg /

noun

1. an official report of a minor infraction of regulations, as in school or the army; a demerit.

2. a punishment for a minor infraction of rules.

---

verb (used with object)

gigged, gigging

1. to give a gig to or punish with a gig.

gig ¹ British  

/ ɡɪɡ /

noun

1. a light two-wheeled one-horse carriage without a hood

2. nautical a light tender for a vessel, often for the personal use of the captain

3. a long light rowing boat, used esp for racing

4. a machine for raising the nap of a fabric

---

verb

1. (intr) to travel in a gig

2. (tr) to raise the nap of (fabric)

gig ² British  

/ ɡɪɡ /

noun

1. a cluster of barbless hooks drawn through a shoal of fish to try to impale them

2. short for fishgig

---

verb

1. to catch (fish) with a gig

gig ³ British  

/ ɡɪɡ /

noun

1. a job, esp a single booking for a musician, comedian, etc, to perform at a concert or club

2. the performance itself

---

verb

1. (intr) to perform at a gig or gigs

gig ⁴ British  

/ ɡɪɡ /

noun

1. informal short for gigabyte

---

Etymology

Origin of gig¹

First recorded in 1925–30; origin uncertain

Origin of gig²

First recorded in 1985–90

Origin of gig³

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English gigge, gig “flighty girl, loose woman; awkward or boorish man”; akin to Danish gig “top”; compare Norwegian giga “to shake about”

Origin of gig⁴

First recorded in 1700–10; shortened from fishgig or fizgig

Origin of gig⁵

First recorded in 1940–45; origin uncertain

Explanation

A gig is a band's musical performance or an appointment for such a performance. Your band's first gig might be playing at a high school prom. Performers of various kinds book gigs: they arrange to do a show at a specific place and time. If you're a standup comedian, you might dream of a gig at a big concert hall, but have to be satisfied with gigs in church basements and coffee shops. Sometimes people who do freelance work also refer to jobs as gigs. The word comes from early 20th century jazz slang.

Example Sentences

Gig workers have struggled with rising gas prices in the past.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

Gig drivers, food-delivery workers and independent drivers are being hit especially hard at the pump and making split-second calculations and adjustments to their lives and livelihoods.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Gig work, contract labor, informal employment, and multiple job-holding complicate headline payroll figures.

From Barron's • Dec. 24, 2025

Damage affects only the 1950 suspension bridge, whose green steel towers support westbound lanes to Gig Harbor.

From Seattle Times • May 13, 2024

Five days out of Gig Harbor, the Ocean Queen docked in Petersburg to take on fuel and water.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

Related Words

• appearance
• concert
• engagement
• recital