gesture
Americannoun
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gestures
plural
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a movement or position of the hand, arm, body, head, or face that is expressive of an idea, opinion, emotion, etc..
the gestures of an orator; a threatening gesture.
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the use of such movements to express thought, emotion, etc.
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any action, courtesy, communication, etc., intended for effect or as a formality; considered expression; demonstration.
a gesture of friendship.
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Digital Technology. a particular movement of the body, typically the fingers or hand, used to control or interact with a digital device (often used attributively).
a gesture command;
Use a two-finger pinching gesture on your touchscreen to zoom in or out.
verb (used without object)
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gestures,
present (3rd person singular)
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gestured,
past participle, past
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gesturing
present participle
verb (used with object)
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gestures,
present (3rd person singular)
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gestured,
past participle, past
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gesturing
present participle
noun
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a motion of the hands, head, or body to emphasize an idea or emotion, esp while speaking
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something said or done as a formality or as an indication of intention
a political gesture
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obsolete the manner in which a person bears himself; posture
verb
Usage
What does gesture mean? A gesture is a movement of the hand, arms, or other body part that is intended to indicate or emphasize something, often when speaking. In other words, gestures are body movements that express something. For example, a wave of the hand is a common gesture used to say hello to someone. In this sense, gesture is also commonly used as a verb. A gesture can also be an action done for a specific reason, such as to show gratitude, as in Sending him flowers was a nice gesture. In the context of digital technology, we interact with touchscreen devices using gestures—movements such as swiping a finger from side to side or using two fingers to “pinch” the screen and zoom in and out. Example: When Tom walked into the office, his boss made a gesture to him to have a seat so they could talk.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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gesturesimple
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gesturessimple
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have gesturedperfect
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has gesturedperfect
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am gesturingprogressive
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are gesturingprogressive
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is gesturingprogressive
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have been gesturingperfect progressive
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has been gesturingperfect progressive
Past
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gesturedsimple
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had gesturedperfect
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was gesturingprogressive
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were gesturingprogressive
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had been gesturingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of gesture
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin gestūra “mode of action, manner, bearing,” from Latin gest(us) “conducted” (past participle of gerere “to carry, conduct, display”) + -ūra -ure
Explanation
The thing to remember about gesture, whether you're using it as a verb or a noun, is that not only is it a movement of the hands or body, but it's also a movement that has some meaning, intention, or emotion behind it. When you use gesture, you are entering into a whole history of human communication, because there is no language that exists entirely without gesture (a fun fact to bring up at parties). People can't communicate without gesture. It's so connected to intention that there is a phrase "empty gesture," used to mean an action or movement that is without genuine feeling.
Vocabulary lists containing gesture
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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"Of Mice and Men"
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"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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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.
See Examples For:
But while truckers appreciate the gesture, most dyed diesel is already committed by fuel distributors to the farmers and ranchers who are their regular customers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
Her practice has long spanned painting, film and performance, using movement, gesture and culture to explore the body’s relationship to the landscape — and space.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
She’s up against seasoned actors and singers who know what they’re doing, whose every step, gesture and note resonates effortlessly.
From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2026
Trump said on social media that the move was "a wonderful gesture of mutual respect".
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
Or the way she used to gesture with her hands when she talked—something I inherited from her.
From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell
But small gestures are often where hospitality lives.
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026
“The question is ultimately about familiarity, affinity, and allyship—not as symbolic gestures, but as evidence accumulated over years of shared political struggle. It is a proxy for trust,” he wrote.
From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2026
His earlier paintings often seem hard-won, made with a heavy hand, but as Hans Namuth’s well-known film of Pollock at work reveals, delicate gestures and dance-like movements translated into fluent drawing in the drip paintings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
He looks around and gestures at the meeting.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
She gestures with a long thumb to the other side of the cafeteria.
From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell
Toward the end of the performance Raul stood and gestured to the crowd that they should stand and applaud.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
She gestured at a crowd of at least 40 people: “You’re not the only one. All these people are here because of StubHub.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Anyway, before we could respond, he gestured at a TV mounted on the wall, level with the highest shelves groaning with organic kibble and handmade toys, and sang out, “Because there he is!”
From Salon ● May 2, 2026
In one case the server gestured to a sign which said "traditional fish and chips".
From BBC ● Apr. 30, 2026
He gestured through the door, and everyone filed in.
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
Prescott can then be seen speaking to a Cowboys security employee and gesturing in the direction of the other man.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
"I'm happy for Kimi, of course. But I'm not supporting him like Ferrari, because Ferrari is up there," Thomas adds, gesturing high into the air.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
Lavie appeared in a jailhouse-yellow shirt and blue pants and looked distressed throughout the hearing, nodding and gesturing to friends at times.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
"There is just so much of it," he said, gesturing toward piles of food parcels at the protest site in the Indian capital.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
And now she’s stepping aside, gesturing for Libby to come in.
From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day
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.
