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:
Decades later, Dalibor, now 44, was able to find the pair to thank them, saying the gesture had "meant a lot" at a time of great difficulty.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
So far, North Korea hasn’t responded to Trump’s gesture or acknowledged the reduced nature of the drills.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
“Please vote against that. That would deter people from voting,” Becerra said, making a thumbs-down gesture.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
"As a gesture to the international community, it's the wildcard Min Aung Hlaing was holding close to his chest," he said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
Smiling weakly, the girl patted him on the head, a clumsy gesture that rattled his undead brain.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Then Fox got up, approached Eatherly and made gestures toward him.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
They could even convey the rules they had discovered through gestures or sketches.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
First, top-tier American models must be released openly and regularly—not as one-time gestures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
His film contains gestures that trigger ironic laughs — he’s no dummy — but then leave you with a sting you may be embarrassed to admit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
Following his cues, which included subtle hand gestures and some buck-buck-bucking in pitches high and low, the chickens stepped and bobbed their heads in rhythm.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
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
He gestured over the barrier to a manicured plot with shady benches.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 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
He turned the radio up loud, gestured for Wynne to join him in the bathroom, and blasted the water in the sink and bathtub.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
He began shouting and gesturing toward Caballero, which led to the benches clearing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
"I remember that as a child I climbed up there, all the way to the main roof tile," former salt farmer Omer Hot said, gesturing at the seven-metre-high storehouse roof.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
Ostapenko grew annoyed as she was unable to hold in her first three service games of the second set, gesturing wildly and directing angry shouts towards her team.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
“Everything is going to go dry. Everything will burn. That’s my latest vision,” she said, gesturing to the idyllic landscape.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
“What about all these other kids?” said Sierra, gesturing to the tables filled with the country’s top young bibliophiles.
From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein
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.
