gallon

American  

[gal-uhn] / ˈgæl ən /

noun

1. a common unit of capacity in English-speaking countries, equal to four quarts, the U.S. standard gallon being equal to 231 cubic inches (3.7853 liters), and the British imperial gallon to 277.42 cubic inches (4.546 liters). gal.

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gallon British  

/ ˈɡælən /

noun

1. Also called: imperial gallon.  a unit of capacity equal to 277.42 cubic inches. 1 Brit gallon is equivalent to 1.20 US gallons or 4.55 litres

2. a unit of capacity equal to 231 cubic inches. 1 US gallon is equivalent to 0.83 imperial gallon or 3.79 litres

3. (plural) great quantities

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gallon Scientific  

/ găl′ən /

1. A unit of liquid volume or capacity in the US Customary System equal to 4 quarts (3.79 liters).

2. See Table at measurement

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Etymology

Origin of gallon

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English galo(u)n, gallon, from Old North French galon, derivative from base of Medieval Latin gallēta “jug, bucket,” of uncertain origin

Compare meaning

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

• gallon vs. liter
• pint vs. gallon

Example Sentences

U.S. consumers are paying an average $2.81 a gallon for unleaded gas—about 25 cents lower than last year, according to AAA.

From Barron's

Nationwide, Class 8 trucks’ fuel economy averages just 6.85 miles a gallon — so even small increases in diesel prices can impair operator profitability, especially for rural operators typically traversing longer distances.

From MarketWatch

Nationwide, Class 8 trucks’ fuel economy averages just 6.85 miles a gallon — so even small increases in diesel prices can impair operator profitability, especially for rural operators typically traversing longer distances.

From MarketWatch

Data centers can use several million gallons of water a day, the same as a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people.

From Salon

In the early hours of Monday morning, a section of the Llangollen Canal collapsed, leaving a giant hole and gallons of water running into a nearby field.

From BBC