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

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Etymology

Origin of gargoyle

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

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Compare meaning

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

• gargoyle vs. grotesque

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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

Mr Palmen, 61, said: "I find the gargoyle very amusing, I'm using it as my Facebook profile picture."

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2023

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

From New York Times ● Sep. 7, 2022

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

There were only a few monsters lurking in this dungeon—a gargoyle, a skeleton, a zombie, some asps, a mummy, and the evil demi-lich Acererak himself.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Architect William Van Alen modelled the eagle gargoyles on hood ornaments found on the 1929 Chrysler car.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

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

Renaissance and Medieval pieces, and the “quality camp” or “fantasy furniture” he favored — weird and whimsical pieces embellished with mythical creatures; chairs sprouting antlers, torcheres bedecked with gargoyles, commodes atop griffin feet.

From New York Times ● Feb. 27, 2024

Nevermore Academy is a beautifully ghoulish place replete with gargoyles and spires, while the small historic town of Jericho outside draws tourists in with a cheesy re-creation of a Pilgrim village.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 23, 2022

Steeples stretched up to the moonlit night, and Sierra could make out the gnarly silhouettes of gargoyles jutting out to either side.

From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older

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