gargoyle
a grotesquely carved figure of a human or animal.
a spout, terminating in a grotesque representation of a human or animal figure with open mouth, projecting from the gutter of a building for throwing rainwater clear of a building.
Compare Meanings
Click for a side-by-side comparison of meanings. Use the word comparison feature to learn the differences between similar and commonly confused words.
Origin of gargoyle
1Other words from gargoyle
- gargoyled, adjective
Words Nearby gargoyle
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use gargoyle in a sentence
We’ve seen a bunch of schools change their names — and in some cases adopt nightmarish gargoyle replacements — in recent years, but there are still 45 high schools across the United States using the Washington Football Team’s former name.
LeBron James Won It All Again, So Is The GOAT Debate Finally Over? LOL, No. | Sarah Shachat | October 13, 2020 | FiveThirtyEightWith his right eye closed, Alvarado was looking like a gargoyle and there was nothing left in his offensive tank.
Boxers, Be Brave and Quit Before Your Brain Turns to Mush | Gordon Marino | October 25, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTShe held it out at arm's length, her tightly-coifed, gargoyle-head on one side.
Rough-Hewn | Dorothy CanfieldIt was a gargoyle of his own making, meant for the vestry door in the south transept.
Peccavi | E. W. HornungI want to sketch you for a gargoyle—a melancholy one this time.
The Jolliest Term on Record | Angela Brazil
Harsh gargoyle face that warred against me over our mess of hash of lights in rue Saint-Andr-des-Arts.
Ulysses | James JoyceHowever that may have been, Noyes is rich in ancient lattice and stained glass, and curious lead-work and gargoyle.
Notwithstanding | Mary Cholmondeley
British Dictionary definitions for gargoyle
/ (ˈɡɑːɡɔɪl) /
a waterspout carved in the form of a grotesque face or creature and projecting from a roof gutter, esp of a Gothic church
any grotesque ornament or projection, esp on a building
a person with a grotesque appearance
Origin of gargoyle
1Derived forms of gargoyle
- gargoyled, adjective
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
Cultural definitions for gargoyle
A sculpture depicting grotesque human shapes or evil spirits used in many buildings of the Middle Ages, most notably on Gothic cathedrals (see also cathedral). Some gargoyles drained rainwater, sending it clear of the walls of the building.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Browse