gulf
[ guhlf ]
/ gʌlf /
noun
a portion of an ocean or sea partly enclosed by land.
a deep hollow; chasm or abyss.
any wide separation, as in position, status, or education.
something that engulfs or swallows up.
verb (used with object)
to swallow up; engulf.
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Origin of gulf
1300–50; Middle English go(u)lf<Old French golfe<Italian golfo<Late Greek kólphos,Greek kólpos bosom, lap, bay
OTHER WORDS FROM gulf
gulflike, adjectivegulfy, adjectiveWords nearby gulf
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for gulf
British Dictionary definitions for gulf (1 of 2)
gulf
/ (ɡʌlf) /
noun
a large deep bay
a deep chasm
something that divides or separates, such as a lack of understanding
something that engulfs, such as a whirlpool
verb
(tr) to swallow up; engulf
Derived forms of gulf
gulflike, adjectivegulfy, adjectiveWord Origin for gulf
C14: from Old French golfe, from Italian golfo, from Greek kolpos
British Dictionary definitions for gulf (2 of 2)
Gulf
/ (ɡʌlf) /
noun the Gulf
the Persian Gulf
Australian
- the Gulf of Carpentaria
- (modifier) of, relating to, or adjoining the GulfGulf country
NZ the Hauraki Gulf
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for gulf
gulf
[ gŭlf ]
A large body of ocean or sea water that is partly surrounded by land.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.