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:
In court, he claimed the payment had been a goodwill gesture to a woman down on her luck.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
Thames Water said the money had been returned to his account and that he had been offered "a gesture of goodwill".
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
It was a subtle gesture, but by the rigid standards of Chinese leadership optics, it was remarkable.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
The gesture inverted one of the most familiar images in the history of the U.S.-China rapprochement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
But then she set her jaw and clenched her fists, and that he recognized: he knew that gesture so well.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
“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
But the film merely gestures to its own unfortunate place in history, without ever cementing it as a tragedy.
From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026
We see Pollock seeking alternatives to dripping, revisiting early configurations with generous gestures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
The plaza is one of the museum’s most powerful gestures, creating much-needed civic room for Expo Park, and the city.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Grandpa smiles into the camera and gestures to Grandma’s departing form.
From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh
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
Littler also gestured that Van Veen was a "cry baby" and the pair did not speak for multiple weeks.
From BBC ● May 28, 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
She gave the cloth another good squeeze, shook it out, and gestured at me to hang it up.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
"You see the water there?" he said, gesturing at the Gulf separating the UAE from the coasts of southern Iran.
From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 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
He began shouting and gesturing toward Caballero, which led to the benches clearing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
“No…,” Clare said tentatively, gesturing toward the crimson woods.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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.
