gander
noun
the male of the goose.
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gander
1 American
[gan-der]
/ ˈgæn dər /
noun
-
the male of the goose.
-
Slang. a look.
Take a gander at his new shoes.
Gander
2
American
[gan-der]
/ ˈgæn dər /
noun
gander
British
/ ˈɡændə /
noun
-
a male goose
-
informal a quick look (esp in the phrase take ( or have ) a gander )
-
informal a simpleton
gander
Idioms
Etymology
Origin of gander
before 1000; 1910–15 gander for def. 2; Middle English; Old English gan ( d ) ra; cognate with Middle Low German ganre, Dutch gander; akin to goose, German Gans
Explanation
A gander is a male goose, and also an insult meaning "simpleton," a bit like calling someone "a silly goose." Besides being the proper name for a male goose and a slang word for silly man, the word gander also shows up in the idiom "take a gander." The slang sense of gander comes from the meaning recorded in 1886, to take a long look by craning one's neck like a goose, or wander foolishly (again, like a goose).
Vocabulary lists containing gander
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They stuck around too long for people riding the eclipse train in Western New York and returned to block the totality in Gander, Newfoundland, one of the last places the complete eclipse was visible.
From New York Times • Apr. 9, 2024
For Canadians, the path of totality includes Hamilton, Montreal and Gander.
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2024
Discussing the news of Vander Plas’s season ending injury was particularly disheartening for Bennett, who is close with Gander Plas’s father.
From Washington Post • Mar. 9, 2023
British artist Ryan Gander, who’s from Suffolk, is showing work at Lisson Gallery’s booth.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2023
Then Gander Joe cried and writhed, and promised to be more diligent in picking whortleberries in future.
From A Book of Ghosts by Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
