gel

[jel]

noun

1. Physical Chemistry.,  a semirigid colloidal dispersion of a solid with a liquid or gas, as jelly, glue, etc.

2. Theater.,  gelatin.

3. Biochemistry.,  a semirigid polymer, as agarose, starch, cellulose acetate, or polyacrylamide, cast into slabs or cylinders for the electrophoretic separation of proteins and nucleic acids.

verb (used without object)

gelled, gelling 

1. to form or become a gel.

2. jell.

gel

/ dʒɛl /

noun

1. a semirigid jelly-like colloid in which a liquid is dispersed in a solid

   nondrip paint is a gel

2. See hair gel

3. informal,  theatre See gelatine

verb

1. to become or cause to become a gel

2. a variant spelling of jell

Other Word Forms

• degel verb (used with object)
• nongelling adjective
• regel verb (used without object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of gel¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; shortening of gelatin

Word History and Origins

Origin of gel¹

C19: by shortening from _gelatine

Example Sentences

But nothing in “The Smashing Machine” gels or compels in the ways that the sport depicted onscreen so often does.

From Salon

She uses marine collagen, the type derived from fish, in a tropical-flavoured gel she drinks every day.

From BBC

The biggest question is whether manager Jocelyn Precheur can get them all to gel so quickly but I think they will do well.

From BBC

Despite only working with each other for a few weeks, the pair appeared to have gelled.

From BBC

A TV advert for Sanex shower gel which showed black skin as cracked and white skin as smooth has been banned for reinforcing a racial stereotype.

From BBC

Related Words

• clot 
• condense 
• congeal 
• curdle 
• swell