gesture

American  

[jes-cher] / ˈdʒɛs tʃər /

noun

1. 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.

2. the use of such movements to express thought, emotion, etc.

3. any action, courtesy, communication, etc., intended for effect or as a formality; considered expression; demonstration.

   a gesture of friendship.

4. 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.

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verb (used without object)

gestured, gesturing

1. to make or use a gesture or gestures.

verb (used with object)

gestured, gesturing

1. to express by a gesture or gestures.

gesture British  

/ ˈdʒɛstʃə /

noun

1. a motion of the hands, head, or body to emphasize an idea or emotion, esp while speaking

2. something said or done as a formality or as an indication of intention

   a political gesture

3. obsolete the manner in which a person bears himself; posture

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verb

1. to express by or make gestures; gesticulate

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

• gestural
  adjective
• gesturer
  noun
• ungestural
  adjective
• ungesturing
  adjective

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.

Example Sentences

Trump said the "humanitarian gesture" would start on "Monday morning Middle East time".

From BBC • May 6, 2026

It’s certainly a nice gesture, but not 100% necessary.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

In a post on Truth Social, Trump called it a "humanitarian gesture," saying many of the marooned ships "were running low on food," but offered few details on how the mission would work.

From Barron's • May 4, 2026

“It’s a nice gesture for anyone to remember your birthday, and Chris has such an unusual talent.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

My strength, my will, weaves through my gesture.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

Related Words

• action
• body language
• expression
• indication
• nod
• reminder
• salute
• sign
• signal
• token