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.
Nearby words
Origin of gulf
1300–50; Middle English go(u)lf < Old French golfe < Italian golfo < Late Greek kólphos, Greek kólpos bosom, lap, bay
Related formsgulf·like, adjectivegulf·y, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples 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 Formsgulflike, adjectivegulfy, adjective
Word 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
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for gulf
gulf
late 14c., "profound depth;" geographic sense is c.1400; from Old French golf "a gulf, whirlpool," from Italian golfo "a gulf, a bay," from Late Latin colfos, from Greek kolpos "bay, gulf," earlier "trough between waves, fold of a garment," originally "bosom," the common notion being "curved shape," from PIE *kwelp- "to arch, to vault" (cf. Old English hwealf, a-hwielfan "to overwhelm"). Latin sinus underwent the same development, being used first for "bosom," later for "gulf." Replaced Old English sæ-earm. Figurative sense of "a wide interval" is from 1550s. The Gulf Stream (1775) takes its name from the Gulf of Mexico.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Science 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.