gill
1[ gil ]
/ gɪl /
noun
the respiratory organ of aquatic animals, as fish, that breathe oxygen dissolved in water.
Also called lamella. one of the radiating vertical plates on the underside of the cap of an agaric mushroom.
verb (used with object)
to gut or clean (fish).
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Origin of gill
11300–50; Middle English gile < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse gjǫlnar < *gelnō; cognate with Swed gäl, Danish gælle, Norwegian gjelle gill
Related formsgill-less, adjectivegill-like, adjective
Definition for gill (2 of 6)
gill
2[ jil ]
/ dʒɪl /
noun
a unit of liquid measure equal to ¼ pint (118.2937 ml).
Origin of gill
21225–75; Middle English gille < Old French: vat, tub < Late Latin gello, gillo water pot
Definition for gill (3 of 6)
gill
3[ gil ]
/ gɪl /
noun British.
a deep rocky cleft or wooded ravine forming the course of a stream.
a stream; brook; rivulet.
Origin of gill
31350–1400; Middle English gille < Old Norse gil
Definition for gill (4 of 6)
gill
4[ jil ]
/ dʒɪl /
noun
a girl or young woman; sweetheart.
Origin of gill
4Definition for gill (5 of 6)
gill
5[ gil ]
/ gɪl /
noun
a faller used in the combing process, generally for only the highest-quality fibers.
verb (used with object)
to comb (fibers) with a gill.
Origin of gill
5First recorded in 1830–40; perhaps special use of gill1
Definition for gill (6 of 6)
Gill
[ gil for 1; jil for 2 ]
/ gɪl for 1; dʒɪl for 2 /
noun
a male given name.
a female given name.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for gill
British Dictionary definitions for gill (1 of 5)
gill
1/ (ɡɪl) /
noun
the respiratory organ in many aquatic animals, consisting of a membrane or outgrowth well supplied with blood vessels. External gills occur in tadpoles, some molluscs, etc; internal gills, within gill slits, occur in most fishesRelated adjective: branchial
any of the radiating leaflike spore-producing structures on the undersurface of the cap of a mushroom
verb
to catch (fish) or (of fish) to be caught in a gill net
(tr) to gut (fish)
See also gills
Derived Formsgilled, adjectivegill-less, adjectivegill-like, adjective
Word Origin for gill
C14: of Scandinavian origin; compare Swedish gäl, Danish gjælle, Greek khelunē lip
British Dictionary definitions for gill (2 of 5)
gill
2/ (dʒɪl) /
noun
a unit of liquid measure equal to one quarter of a pint
Northern English dialect half a pint, esp of beer
Word Origin for gill
C14: from Old French gille vat, tub, from Late Latin gillō cooling vessel for liquids, of obscure origin
British Dictionary definitions for gill (3 of 5)
gill
3ghyll
/ (ɡɪl) /
noun dialect
a narrow stream; rivulet
a wooded ravine
(capital when part of place name) a deep natural hole in rock; potholeGaping Gill
Word Origin for gill
C11: from Old Norse gil steep-sided valley
British Dictionary definitions for gill (4 of 5)
gill
4/ (dʒɪl) /
noun
archaic a girl or sweetheart
dialect a female ferretAlso spelt: jill
an archaic or dialect name for ground ivy
Word Origin for gill
C15: special use of Gill, short for Gillian, girl's name
British Dictionary definitions for gill (5 of 5)
Gill
/ (ɡɪl) /
noun
(Arthur) Eric (Rowton). 1882–1940, British sculptor, engraver, and typographer: his sculptures include the Stations of the Cross in Westminster Cathedral, London
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Science definitions for gill
gill
[ gĭl ]
The organ that enables most aquatic animals to take dissolved oxygen from the water. It consists of a series of membranes that have many small blood vessels. Oxygen passes into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide passes out of it as water flows across the membranes.
One of the thin strips of tissue on the underside of the cap of many species of basidiomycete fungi. Gills produce the spore-bearing structures known as basidia.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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