gel
Americannoun
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Physical Chemistry. a semirigid colloidal dispersion of a solid with a liquid or gas, as jelly, glue, etc.
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Theater. gelatin.
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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.
noun
verb
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to become or cause to become a gel
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a variant spelling of jell
Other Word Forms
- degel verb (used with object)
- nongelling adjective
- regel verb (used without object)
Etymology
Origin of gel
First recorded in 1895–1900; shortening of gelatin
Vocabulary lists containing gel
Theater - Middle School
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Theater - High School
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Vocabulary from Readings 3, Unit 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For Coachella’s walking, I’ll also bring out some gel insoles.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
Since it operated without the pouches of chromatic gel that Samaras had previously manipulated, he employed double exposures, colored lights, and paint to alter his images.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026
The gel may offer more than oxygen support.
From Science Daily • Feb. 22, 2026
The soft and flexible gel is made with water and a choline based liquid that is antibacterial, nontoxic, and biocompatible.
From Science Daily • Feb. 22, 2026
That’s how I scored several unclaimed gel pens and a necklace that I gave Abuela for her birthday too.
From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
