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Synonyms

gar

1 American  
[gahr] / gɑr /

noun

plural

gar,

plural

gars

  1. Also called garfish, garpike.  any predaceous freshwater fish of the genus Lepisosteus, of North America, covered with hard, diamond-shaped scales and having long jaws with needlelike teeth.

  2. needlefish.

gar 2 American  
[gahr] / gɑr /

verb (used with object)

garred, garring

  1. Scot. to compel or force (someone) to do something.

  2. Scot. and North England Obsolete. to do, perform, or cause.

gar. 3 American  

abbreviation

  1. garage.

G.A.R. 4 American  

abbreviation

  1. Grand Army of the Republic.

gar 1 British  
/ ɡɑː /

noun

  1. short for garpike garfish

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
gar 2 British  
/ ɡɑːr /

verb

  1. (tr) to cause or compel

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of gar1

1755–65, shortened form of garfish

Origin of gar2

1250–1300; Middle English geren, garren, gairen < Old Norse gera to do, make; akin to Old English gearwian to prepare

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.

Wading in a crystal clear Florida river, Mr Szabo photographed a female longnose gar alongside several males during the mating season.

From BBC • Aug. 26, 2025

This has likely kept gar genomes so stable that species and even genera whose last common ancestor lived more than 100 million years ago have diverged very little.

From Science Magazine • Mar. 8, 2024

In the United States, where the alligator gar population appears to be in decline, transport and trade of the fish is regulated by federal law.

From Washington Post • Aug. 25, 2022

Even though modern bony fishes are much more diverse today, a previous study found that in the past they were not as numerous or varied as holosteans—the prehistoric relatives of today’s gar and paddlefish.

From Scientific American • Mar. 23, 2022

"They did for Santa- gar," the Hound continued.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

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.