gooseneck

American  

[goos-nek] / ˈgusˌnɛk /

noun

1. a curved object resembling the neck of a goose, often of flexible construction, as in the shaft of a gooseneck lamp.

2. Nautical. a curved piece at the foot of a boom, attached to a mast by a vertical pivot and itself having a horizontal pivot so that the boom can be pointed in a wide angle vertically or horizontally.

3. Carpentry. a vertical continuation of the handrail of a flight of stairs, terminating in a short horizontal part on the top of a newel post.

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gooseneck British  

/ ˈɡuːsˌnɛk /

noun

1. nautical a pivot between the forward end of a boom and a mast, to allow the boom to swing freely

2. something in the form of a neck of a goose

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Other Word Forms

• goosenecked
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of gooseneck

First recorded in 1680–90; goose + neck

Example Sentences

In some cases, Rizk said he has recommended a less painful, low-tech fix: cellphone holders, metal contraptions that have a flexible gooseneck that holds the mobile device up to eye level.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Standing at the helm of the 100-year-old “rose engine,” he peered through a microscope at a small, square slab of German silver illuminated by a gooseneck lamp.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2023

The organisms include anemones and pelagic gooseneck barnacles.

From Washington Times • Apr. 18, 2023

While the control a gooseneck brings is indispensable for pourover coffee, it's also typically one of the ugliest appliances in a kitchen.

From Salon • Aug. 29, 2022

Dessie was lying on the gooseneck sofa when Tom came in.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck