This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
gargoyle
[ gahr-goil ]
/ ˈgɑr gɔɪl /
See the most commonly confused word associated with gargoyle
Save This Word!
This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
noun
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.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?
Origin of gargoyle
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English gargoile, from Old French gargouille, gargoule literally, “throat”; see gargle
OTHER WORDS FROM gargoyle
gargoyled, adjectiveWords nearby gargoyle
garganey, Gargantua, gargantuan, garget, gargle, gargoyle, gargoylism, gari, garibaldi, Garibaldi, Giuseppe, garigue
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use gargoyle in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for gargoyle
gargoyle
/ (ˈɡɑːɡɔɪl) /
noun
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
Derived forms of gargoyle
gargoyled, adjectiveWord Origin for gargoyle
C15: from Old French gargouille gargoyle, throat; see gargle
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
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.