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gill

1
[ gil ]
/ gɪl /
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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).
to catch (fish) by the gills in a gill net.
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Idioms about gill

    green / white around the gills, somewhat pale, as from being sickly, nervous, or frightened: The tourists were seasick—all of them green around the gills as the boat rocked back to shore.
    to the gills, Informal. completely; fully; totally: After that big meal we were all stuffed to the gills.

Origin of gill

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English gile, from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse gjǫlnar, from unattested gelnō; cognate with Swedish gäl, Danish gælle, Norwegian gjelle “gill”

OTHER WORDS FROM gill

gill-less, adjectivegill-like, adjective

Other definitions for gill (2 of 6)

gill2
[ jil ]
/ dʒɪl /

noun
a unit of liquid measure equal to ¼ pint (118.2937 milliliters).

Origin of gill

2
First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English gille, from Old French: “vat, tub,” from Late Latin gello, gillo “water pot”

Other definitions for gill (3 of 6)

gill3
[ gil ]
/ gɪl /

noun British.
a deep rocky cleft or wooded ravine forming the course of a stream.
a stream; brook; rivulet.

Origin of gill

3
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English gille, from Old Norse gil

Other definitions for gill (4 of 6)

gill4
[ jil ]
/ dʒɪl /

noun Archaic.
a girl or young woman, especially a sweetheart.

Origin of gill

4
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English gil(le) (generic use of Gil(le), short form of Gillian; see Gillian

Other definitions for gill (5 of 6)

gill5
[ gil ]
/ gɪl /
Textiles.

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

5
First recorded in 1830–40; perhaps special use of gill1

Other definitions 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. 2023

How to use gill in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for gill (1 of 5)

gill1
/ (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 forms of gill

gilled, 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)

gill2
/ (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)

gill3

ghyll

/ (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)

gill4
/ (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 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific 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 Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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