gooseneck

American  

[goos-nek] / ˈgusˌnɛk /

noun

1. a curved object resembling the neck of a goose, often of flexible construction, as in the shaft of a gooseneck lamp.

2. Nautical. a curved piece at the foot of a boom, attached to a mast by a vertical pivot and itself having a horizontal pivot so that the boom can be pointed in a wide angle vertically or horizontally.

3. Carpentry. a vertical continuation of the handrail of a flight of stairs, terminating in a short horizontal part on the top of a newel post.

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gooseneck British  

/ ˈɡuːsˌnɛk /

noun

1. nautical a pivot between the forward end of a boom and a mast, to allow the boom to swing freely

2. something in the form of a neck of a goose

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Other Word Forms

• goosenecked adjective

Etymology

Origin of gooseneck

First recorded in 1680–90; goose + neck

Example Sentences

In some cases, Rizk said he has recommended a less painful, low-tech fix: cellphone holders, metal contraptions that have a flexible gooseneck that holds the mobile device up to eye level.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

The organisms include anemones and pelagic gooseneck barnacles.

From Washington Times • Apr. 18, 2023

The three dishes praised were the braised tripe with morels and mora peppers, the gooseneck barnacles with charred scallion aioli, and the fried pig head with preserved cherries and Walla Walla onions.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 19, 2022

While the control a gooseneck brings is indispensable for pourover coffee, it's also typically one of the ugliest appliances in a kitchen.

From Salon • Aug. 29, 2022

The hull of the lifeboat invited life too, in the form of small gooseneck barnacles.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel