gargoyle

American  

[gahr-goil] / ˈgɑr gɔɪl /

noun

• gargoyles
  plural

1. a grotesquely carved figure of a human or animal.

2. 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.

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gargoyle British  

/ ˈɡɑːɡɔɪl /

noun

1. a waterspout carved in the form of a grotesque face or creature and projecting from a roof gutter, esp of a Gothic church

2. any grotesque ornament or projection, esp on a building

3. a person with a grotesque appearance

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gargoyle Cultural  

1. 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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• gargoyled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• gargoyles
  plural

Etymology

Origin of gargoyle

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English gargoile, from Old French gargouille, gargoule literally, “throat”; see gargle

Compare meaning

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

• gargoyle vs. grotesque

Explanation

Gargoyle is a fearsome word for a monster. Fortunately, it's not a real monster. It's a grotesque carved beast sticking out from the gutter of a building, especially in Gothic architecture. If you've ever seen a statue of an ugly beast coming out of the side of the building, you've seen a gargoyle. There aren't a lot of pretty, friendly looking gargoyles in the world; they usually look frightening, strange, and grotesque (which is kind of a mix of really ugly and kind of bizarre). Gargoyles have a couple purposes. For one thing, they're part of the drainage system that keeps the building from flooding. Secondly, they're so nasty-looking that they should scare off evil spirits who would do harm to the building or the people inside. Too much water and too much evil are both bad for a building.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gargoyle gargoyles

A host of celebrity judges have to decide whether they’re seeing an elaborate cake or Halloween decor like a jack-o-lantern, a black cat and a gargoyle.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2025

An open-mouthed frown suggests the mask of Greek tragedy; a pout transforms her into a gargoyle.

From New York Times ● Sep. 7, 2022

Earlier this week, several Santa hats appeared on statues and a gargoyle on St John's College in stunt later blamed on "rascal students".

From BBC ● Nov. 27, 2021

Another modern, and whimsical, touch is the so-called businessman or yuppie gargoyle, depicting a Gothic creature with sideburns and holding a briefcase.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 27, 2021

As they approached, Danny could see the knocker was shaped like a gargoyle head.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova

The architect’s mischievous side comes through in countless sketches for his famous gargoyles, which achieve “both anatomical coherence and a sense of demonic vitality.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 18, 2026

He talked about going to an art show at the studio, and he saw a piece of a bunch of gargoyles sitting on a log flying kites.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2024

Dozens of sculptors have also remade and restored many of the gargoyles, religious icons and ornaments that adorned the original structure.

From BBC ● Dec. 17, 2023

Gibson had long admired Winterbottom’s work, from his photographs of the gargoyles and grotesques of Washington National Cathedral to the stonework of the Washington Monument.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 1, 2023

On top of it, the gargoyles remained stationary.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas