gudgeon

¹ American  

[guhj-uhn] / ˈgʌdʒ ən /

noun

1. a small, European, freshwater fish, Gobio gobio, of the minnow family, having a threadlike barbel at each corner of the mouth, used as bait.

2. any of certain related fishes.

3. a person who is easily duped or cheated.

4. a bait or allurement.

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verb (used with object)

1. to dupe or cheat.

gudgeon ² American  

[guhj-uhn] / ˈgʌdʒ ən /

noun

1. Machinery. a trunnion.

2. a socket for the pintle of a hinge.

3. Nautical. a socket attached to the stern frame of a vessel, for holding the pintle of a rudder.

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gudgeon ¹ British  

/ ˈɡʌdʒən /

noun

1. a small slender European freshwater cyprinid fish, Gobio gobio, with a barbel on each side of the mouth: used as bait by anglers

2. any of various other fishes, such as the goby

3. bait or enticement

4. slang a person who is easy to trick or cheat

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verb

1. slang (tr) to trick or cheat

gudgeon ² British  

/ ˈɡʌdʒən /

noun

1. 1. a pivot at the end of a beam or axle

   2. the female or socket portion of a pinned hinge

2. nautical one of two or more looplike sockets, fixed to the transom of a boat, into which the pintles of a rudder are fitted

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Etymology

Origin of gudgeon¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English gogion, gogen, from Old French go(u)jon, from Latin gōbiōn- (stem of gōbiō ), variant of gobius goby

Origin of gudgeon²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English gojoun, gog(e)on, from Old French go(u)jon, perhaps ultimately from Late Latin gu(l)bia a chisel; see origin at gouge

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gudgeon

The EA and Thames Water are investigating after dead European eels, sticklebacks, gudgeon and stone loach were discovered in the River Pool.

From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026

Morose, georgette, cited, ingenuity, questionnaire, accessible, meringue, gudgeon, insoluble, parliamentary, aphorism, olfactory and lineaments cleared the stage of all but three.

From Time Magazine Archive

Let the lever, used in the last experiment, be turned in such a manner as to reach from its gudgeon to the shaft of the Panorganon, guided by an attendant lever as before.

From Practical Education, Volume II by Edgeworth, Maria

And many a gudgeon of the pond, If made to speak to-day, Would own, with grief, the angler had A mighty taking way!

From The Scrap Book, Volume 1, No. 3 May 1906 by Various

Whaling is indeed a glorious sport, as far superior to your salmon fishing and fox hunting, as those diversions are to bobbing for gudgeon and chasing rats with a terrier.

From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 62, No. 383, September 1847 by Various