G-Word Definitions
| gabardine. | worsted twill |
| gabbro. | coarse-grained igneous, calcic plagioclase and pyroxene |
| gabelle. | 1790 tax on salt |
| gabion. | cylindrical wicker basket filled with earth and stone to build fortifications, dams. |
| gad. | rock-breaking tool; cattle prod ("Egad! He gaffed me with a gad!") |
| gadoid. | cod and hake ("I could hake a gadoid.") |
| gadolinite. | rare-earth mineral |
| gadroon. | ornamental band or molding, convex, continuous pattern |
| gadwall. | a duck |
| Gael. | Scotch, Irish, or Isle of Man |
| gaff. | gaff hook; spar used to extend top edge of fore-and-aft sail; gamecock’s spur; lineman’s climbing hook; hoax; harsh abuse (the gaff sail). |
| gaffer. | old man; TV lighting technician |
| gaff rig. | fore-and-aft sail with upper edge supported by a gaff |
| gaff-top-sail | .a light triangular or quadrangular sail set over a gaff |
| gahnite. | mineral - ("Oh, man! He's a gahnite!") |
| gailardia. | flower |
| gainly. | handsome, graceful - (as in ungainly) |
| galactopoiesis. | continued production of milk |
| galactosemia | hereditary: mental retardation and cataracts (milk in the blood) |
| galago. | large round eyes, prominent ears big teeth and long tail |
| galengal. | pungent, aromatic roots |
| galantine. | stuffed meat served cold with aspic - ("We ate our galantine at the gala galanty show.") |
| galanty show. | shadow show |
| galatea. | durable cloth, often striped |
| Galatea. | ivory statue brought to life by Aphrodite upon pleas from Pygmalion - ("Galatea wore galatea.") |
| galax. | evergreen |
| galbanum. | gum used for incense and counterirritant |
| gale. | 32 to 63 mph. |
| gale. | helmet-shaped part (culm) |
| galeate. | helmet-shaped |
| Galician. | Spanish Galetia |
| galilee. | small chapel or porch at western end of some medieval English churches |
| galimatis. | gibberish ("He was gibbering galimatis and gammon.") |
| galipot. | crude pine turpentine (A gallipot of galipot.) |
| gall. | abrasively-induced skin sore |
| Galla. | southern Ethiopia and Somali |
| galleass. | large, heavily armed three-master Mediterranean 16th, 17th C. |
| galleon. | three-master, two or more decks, 15th, 16th C. |
| galley. | long tray holding composed type |
| galliard. | spirited, lively, gay |
| Gallicanism. | restriction of papal control, national semi-autonomy |
| galligaskins. | loose (hose and) breeches |
| gallimaufry. | salmagundi |
| gallinaceous | .domestic fowl |
| gallinipper. | large mosquito capable of inflicting painful bite ("gall-nipper') |
| gallinule. | wading bird |
| gallipot. | small glazed earthenware jar used by druggists |
| galliwasp. | lizard |
| Galomania. | frenchophile |
| galloon. | band or braid made of lace, metallic thread, or embroidery |
| gallowglass. | armed Irish mercenary ("From the Western Isles, with kerns and gallowglasses is supplied" - MacBeth). |
| galop, galopade. | lively dance ("We galoped through a galliard.") |
| galyak. | soft glossy fur from stillborn lamb or kid ("The gal likes to yak.") |
| gam. | socialization between whaler |
| gambado. | low horse leap with all four feet off ground |
| gambado. | rider’s leggings |
| gambier. | resinous, astringent extract (tanning and dyeing) (currier) |
| gamboge. | strong yellow, golden yellow resin |
| gambusia. | top minnows feeding on mosquito larvae |
| gamelan. | S. E. Asia: tuned metal/wooden chine instruments (Javanese) |
| gametangium. | organ or cell in which gametes are produced |
| gamic. | sexual: requiring fertilization |
| gamin. | neglected boy, urchin |
| gamine. | neglected girl; impish appeal |
| gammer. | elderly woman ("gaffer and gammer") |
| gammon. | backgammon victory |
| gammon. | nonsense (galimatis). |
| gammon. | cured or smoked ham ("How about a gammon ham sandwich?") |
| gammon. | to fasten (a bowsprit) to the stem of a ship |
| gamogenesis. | Sexual reproduction - Gr.: gamo, (together). |
| gamopetalous. | petals partially fused |
| gamophilous. | united leaves |
| gamosepalous. | sepals partly united |
| gamp. | large, baggy umbrella ("A damp gamp") |
| ganef., ganof., gonif. | scoundrel, thief (Yiddish) |
| gang., gangue. | worthless rock under which valuable minerals are found |
| gangrel. | vagabond ("A gang of gangrels."). |
| ganister. | used for refractory furnace linings |
| ganja. | resinous form of marijuana |
| ganoid. | sturgeon and gar |
| gantlet. | two railroad tracks overlapped in a narrow defile ("run the gantlet") |
| gantline. | rope through a block at a mast top for hoisting |
| gantry. | support for barrel on its side; traveling crane gantry |
| Gantt chart. | for comparing production rates |
| Ganymede. | a Trojan boy of great beauty whom Zeus abducted to be cupbearer to the gods |
| gar. | to cause or compel |
| garbanzo. | chickpea seed |
| garboard. | first strake of planks laid next to a ship’s keel |
| garboil. | confusion, uproar |
| garderobe. | wardrobe, private chamber |
| Gareth. | King Arthur’s nephew |
| gargeney. | Old World duck with conspicuously striped head |
| Gargantua. | a giant king noted for his prodigious physical and intellectual appetites |
| garget. | mastitis of domestic animals |
| garibaldi. | loose high-necked blouse patterned after the Red Shirts |
| garnierite. | apple-green nickel ore |
| garniture. | garnish |
| garrison cap. | soft cloth military cap without a visor |
| Garrison finish. | winner comes from behind at last minute |
| garrote. | iron collar screwed tight |
| garth. | grassy quadrangle surrounded by cloisters |
| gasconade. | boastfulness, rodomontade |
| gasiform. | gaseous |
| gaskin. | hind leg of horse between stifle (knee) and hock (tarsal joint of hind leg) |
| gas plant. | Eurasia, emits a gas capable of being ignited |
| gasser. | well yielding natural gas |
| gast. | to frighten ("It was so gastly, I was aghast.") |
| gastronome. | Epicurean |
| gastrula. | follows blastula |
| gat. | inland channel ("He descended the gat to the ghat.") |
| gaum. | smudge or smear (shmutz.) |
| gaur. | Asiatic bovine (See also "gayal") |
| gavage. | tube-feeding (lavage) |
| gavelkind. | equal estate to all the heirs ("per stirpes") |
| gavel-to-gavel | From start-to-finish |
| gavial. | S. Asia: like a crocodile |
| gavotte. | French peasant dance like minuet |
| gayal. | large bovine Burmese mammal, tufted tail (See also "gaur") |
| gazebo. | belvedere |
| gazpacho. | chilled soup: tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and herbs |
| geanticline. | large upward fold |
| geek. | bites head off chicken |
| gefilte fish. | chopped fish, crumbs, eggs, seasoning, cooked in broth, served cold in cakes |
| gelandesprung. | skiing jump from crouch using both poles |
| geld. | Norman the Conqueror's tax on the English landholders |
| gelid. | very cold |
| gelignite. | guncotton, nitroglycerine, wood pulp, potassium nitrate |
| gelt. | money (Yiddish) |
| Gemara. | 2nd part of Talmud, commentary on the Mishnah |
| geminate. | to arrange in pairs or double |
| gentian. | blue flowers; yellow gentian rhizome and roots used as tonic |
| gentian violet. | stain |
| gentlemen-at-arms. | honor guard of 40 nobleman who attend the British sovereign |
| gentle breeze. | between 8 and 12 mph. |
| gentrification. | upper-class property restoration of working class homes |
| genus. | below family, above species |
| geocorona. | outermost mantle of Earth’s atmosphere |
| geoduck. | very large edible clam |
| geognosy. | study of the organization and structure of the Earth ("geo-gnosy") |
| geoid. | surface of the Earth corresponding to mean sea level |
| geomancy. | divination by means of lines and figures |
| geometric mean. | the nth root of a product of n factors |
| geometrid. | moth |
| geomorphology. | study of evolution of landforms |
| geophagy. | eating clay |
| geophyte. | plant propagating by underground buds |
| Geordie. | a guinea |
| George. | jeweled figure of St. George killing the dragon (Knights of the Garter); English coin (Henry VIII) with a picture of St. George and the dragon |
| georgic. | pertaining to agriculture and rural life; a pastoral poem |
| geostrophic. | force (like Coriolis) caused by Earth’s rotation |
| geosyncline. | depression in Earth’s crust where a lot has been deposited |
| geotaxis. | movement in response to gravity |
| geotropism. | same thing relating to growth |
| gerah. | ancient Hebrew coin and weight unit |
| Geraint. | Knight of the Round Table, Enid’s hubby |
| gerent. | ruler or manager |
| gerenuk. | African gazelle |
| germander. | reddish-purple flowers |
| gerund. | a form such as cooking that functions as a noun |
| gerundive. | The future passive participle that functions adjectivally and expresses the notion of fitness or necessity; a verbal adjective |
| Garyon. | winged monster with three bodies slain by Hercules |
| gesso. | plaster of Paris and glue used for low relief and painting ("A gluey gob of gesso.") |
| geste. | a notable feat or exploit |
| gestate. | carry within the uterus before birth |
| gestic. | movement of the body (dance) |
| geyserite. | opaline siliceous geyser deposit |
| ghat. | broad flight of steps down the bank of a river |
| ghazi. | Moslem warrior who has fought the infidel |
| ghee. | semi-fluid butter (India) |
| Ghibbeline. | aristocrats who fought during Middle Ages for German control of Italy |
| ghillie. | a low-cut sports shoe with fringed laces |
| giaour. | non-believer, esp., Christian: an infidel |
| gib. | machining: a wedge-shaped piece holding a part in place, or a bearing surface |
| gibberelic acid. | promotes plant growth |
| gid. | ovine disease caused by tapeworm larva |
| gigot. | leg of mutton |
| gigue. | jig; lively dance |
| Gilgamesh. | Sumerian: semi-divine king of Erech and hero. Includes tale of flood |
| gill. | half-glass |
| gill. | a narrow stream |
| gilt . | a young sow that has not farrowed |
| gillie. | a professional guide for hunting |
| gill net. | vertical net that catches fish by the gills |
| gillyflower. | carnation |
| gimmal. | a ring made of two interlocked strips |
| gimp. | a narrow stiffened braid |
| gimp. | limper |
| gimp. | spirit |
| gink. | man or boy |
| girandole. | radiating display/ rotating fireworks; branched candleholder, backed by mirror |
| girasol. | fire opal |
| gird. | jeer |
| Gironde. | moderate Republican party of revolutionary France |
| gisarme. | long-shafted halberd with two-edged axe carried by a medieval foot soldier |
| glabella. | smooth area between eyebrows just above nose (glabrous) |
| glacis. | gentle slope; slope leading down form a fortification |
| gladiate. | sword-shaped |
| Gladstone. | four-wheeled light convertible carriage (driver and footman) |
| glair. | raw egg whites used in glazing |
| glaive. | sword, broadsword |
| glanders. | equine disease |
| glans. | glans penis, glans clitoris (head or tip) |
| glassine. | nearly transparent gazed paper |
| glass snake. | tail breaks off easily |
| Glauber’s salt. | sodium sulfate, used as cathartic and in paper making |
| glauconite.. | found in greensand and used as water softener, fertilizer |
| glazier. | window glass |
| gleba. | inside of a puffball |
| glebe. | plot of land granted to a clergyman while in office |
| glede. | the kite |
| gleed. | glowing coal, ember |
| gleet. | chronic urethral inflammation |
| gleg. | alert and quick to respond |
| Glengarry. | woolen cap, creased lengthwise with ribbons at back |
| gley. | sticky bluish-gray soil layer formed by excessive moisture |
| gliadin. | proteins derived from wheat or rye gluten |
| gimp. | narrow braid or cord of fabric (sometimes stiffened) |
| glissade. | gliding ballet step; controlled slide |
| glissando. | rapid scale |
| glochidium. | parasitic mussel larvae |
| glogg. | wine, brandy, and sherry, with raisins, almonds and orange peel |
| glomerute. | compact flower cluster |
| glomerulus. | tuft of capillaries at kidney origin; twisted secretory portion of sweat gland |
| Gloria in Excelsis Deo. | Latin doxology forming part of Ordinary of the Mass |
| gloriole. | halo, aureole, or numbus |
| glory of the snow. | flower |
| gloss. | brief explanatory note in margin or between lines of text |
| glossal. | pertaining to the tongue |
| glossography. | compilation of glossaries |
| glost. | a lead glaze used for pottery |
| gloxinia. | house plant |
| gloze. | to minimize, gloss over |
| glucagon. | a pancreatic hormone that raises blood sugar |
| glume. | chaffy basal bract on the spikelet of grass |
| gluon. | massless, neutral particle that mediates the strong force |
| glutaraldehyd.e. | used for tanning leather |
| gluteus. | any of the three large muscles of the buttoks |
| glyph. | vertical groove in a Doric column; symbolic figure (road sign silhouette) |
| glyptics. | art of engraving or carving |
| glyptograph. | engraving upon precious stone |
| gnar. | growl, snarl |
| gnarl. | snarl |
| gnathic. | relating to the jaw |
| gnathite. | insect jaw |
| gneiss. | banded or foliated metamorphic rock, like granite, layered |
| gnocchi. | dumplings made of semolina or potato served with grated cheese and sauces |
| gnome. | aphorism |
| gnomic. | aphoristic |
| gnomon. | sundial stylus; figure left after a small parallelogram has been removed from a large parallelogram with which it shared a common corner |
| gnosis. | intuitive apprehension of spiritual truths: spiritualism |
| goa. | gazelle |
| goat’s rue. | flower |
| goatsucker. | nighthawk and whippoorwill |
| Gobelin. | tapestry from the Paris Gobelin works. richly pictorial |
| goby. | fish |
| godevil. | logging sled; railroad handcar; jointed tool for pipeline cleaning, explosive |
| God’s acre. | churchyard |
| godwit. | wading bird |
| goethite | iron ore |
| goffer. | to press ridges or pleats; tool; pleated ornamentation |
| Goidetic. | branch of Celtic language |
| goldbeater’s skin. | treated animal membrane used to separate gold being beaten into leaf |
| gold bug. | North American beetle |
| golden Alexanders. | flower |
| golden club. | aquatic plant |
| golden eagle. | eagle |
| golden eye. | duck |
| golden section | 5:3 |
| gold-of-pleasure. | plant rich in oil |
| goldstone. | adventurine with gold-colored inclusions |
| goldthread. | golden roots |
| golem. | artificial human endowed with life by supernatural means |
| Golgi complex | within cells |
| gollard. | wandering medieval student disposed to conviviality, license, & ribald songs |
| golliwog. | grotesque black male doll; grotesque person |
| gomphosis. | like tooth and its bony socket |
| gonadotropic. | stimulating gonads |
| Gond. | Dravidian stock |
| gonfalon. | banner suspended from crosspiece: Italian city |
| Gongorism. | florid, cluttered literary style |
| gonidium. | sexually reproductive cell that separates from parental body: colonies |
| goniometer. | crystal angles; directional radio receiver |
| gonian. | point of the angle on either side of the lower jaw |
| gonopore. | reproductive aperture |
| goosande. | merganser |
| goose egg. | zero: no points have been score |
| goosefoot. | weedy plants |
| gopher ball. | a pitched ball hit for a home run |
| gopherwood. | yellowwood |
| gore. | triangular piece of cloth |
| gorgorin. | necking of a column |
| gorget. | throat armor |
| Gorgon. | Stheno, Euryale, Medusa |
| gorgonian. | coral |
| gorgonize. | to have a paralyzing effect |
| Gorgonzola. | Italian cream cheese |
| gorp. | trail mix |
| gorse. | spiny shrubs |
| goshawk. | large hawk |
| gosport. | speaking tubes in old airplanes |
| gouache. | painting with gum-based opaque water colors |
| Gouda. | made from skimmed milk |
| gourami. | bright-colored aquarium fish |
| gourmandize. | a taste for good food |
| gowan. | yellow wildflower |
| goy. | gentile |
| Graafian follicle | contains maturing ovum |
| grabble. | grope |
| graben. | depression between two parallel faults |
| grace cup. | final toast |
| Graces. | Agleia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia, who dispense charm and beauty |
| gracile. | slender, graceful |
| gracioso. | Spanish clown or buffoon |
| grackle. | blackish birds |
| gradin. | one of a series of steps or tiered seats (amphitheater) |
| grains of paradise. | cardamon seed |
| grama. | grasses |
| gramarye. | occult learning, magic |
| gramersy. | expression of surprise or gratitude |
| gramineous. | relating to grasses |
| graminivorous. | feeding on grasses |
| grammatology. | study of graphic script |
| grampus. | like dolphin; or killer whale |
| granadilla. | passion flowers |
| grandee. | nobleman of highest rank |
| grange. | farmers’ association; house and outbuildings of a gentleman farmer |
| grangerize. | to illustrate a book with illustrations from other books; to mutilate a book by stealing its illustrations |
| granite paper. | low proportion of color-mottling fibers |
| granolith. | paving stone of crushed granite |
| granophyre. | fine-grained granite porphyry |
| granulite. | granular metamorphic feldspar, quartz, and garnet |
| granuloma. | nodules in ulcerated infections |
| grapheme. | letter combinations that represent a single phoneme |
| graphitize. | to convert to granite by heating |
| grappa. | Italian brandy distilled from pressed-wine residue |
| graptolite. | extinct marine animals |
| grass snipe. | pectoral sandpiper |
| grass widow. | divorced; husband temporarily absent; abandoned mistress; mother of bastard |
| gratin. | crumbs and butter, often with grated cheese |
| graupel. | precipitation with pellets of snow |
| gravamen. | heaviest part of a charge |
| grave. | to clean and coat with pitch |
| gravelblind. | having minimal vision |
| gravure. | printing with etched plates |
| grayling. | fish |
| graving dock. | ship repair dock |
| graywacke. | shale containing dark-gray sandstone |
| grazier. | one who grazes cattle |
| grazioso. | gradually |
| greaser. | Latino; macho male |
| greasewood. | spiny shrub |
| great auk. | large flightless sea bird |
| Great Pyrenees. | dog |
| greaves. | shank armor |
| grebe. | diving birds |
| gree. | superiority |
| greenbrier. | cathrier |
| greendragon. | plant |
| greenlet. | bird |
| greenling | fish |
| greenockite. | cadmium ore |
| greenroom. | offstage waiting room for performers |
| greensand. | contains grains of glauconite |
| greenshank. | wading bird |
| greensickness. | chlorosis |
| greenstone. | igneous, containing chlorite, hornblende, or epidote |
| gregarine. | parasitic protozoa |
| Gregorian calendar. | sponsored by Gregory XIII in 1582 |
| Gregorian chant. | Pope Gregory I, 600 AD |
| greisen. | quartz and mica |
| grenadier. | British Grenadier Guard, Royal Household; soldier w. grenades; fish |
| grenadine. | flavoring syrup; thin openwork fabric |
| Gresham’s Law. | bad money crowds out good money |
| gresorial. | having legs adapted for walking |
| graylag. | graylag goose |
| gridiron. | cooking; football; theater overhead |
| grifon. | dog |
| grift. | boodle; graft |
| grig. | lively, bright person |
| gris-gris. | African charm |
| griise. | young salmon returning from the sea |
| grimalkin. | cat; shrewish old woman |
| Grimm’s Law. | tracing changes of languages into German |
| grisaille. | painting in shades of gray |
| griseous. | mottled or grizzled with gray |
| grisette. | working-class girl; cheap gray fabric dress |
| grison. | carnivorous mammals |
| grith. | sanctuary when in church or on the king’s highway |
| grivet. | long-tailed African monkey |
| groat. | 4-pence piece from 1300’s to 1600’s |
| grog. | rum and water |
| grogram. | coarse, stiffened silk, mohair or wool |
| gromwell. | plants |
| grossgrain. | heavy silk or rayon, narrow horizontal ribs |
| gros point. | large needlepoint stitch: 2 vertical and 2 horizontal |
| grossularite. | light-green, pink or brown garnet |
| grot. | grotto |
| grotty. | wretched |
| groundling. | cheaper theater seats |
| groundmass. | fine grained porphyritic base of porphyritic rock containing phenocysts |
| ground pine. | club moss |
| ground plum. | low shrub with plum-like edible fruit |
| ground rent. | rent for land to be used for building |
| groundsel. | plant |
| ground swell. | deep rolling waves caused by distant storms |
| growler. | a small iceberg; magnetizer/demagnetizer/short circuit detector |
| Grub Street. | world of impoverished writers and literary hacks |
| grum. | 1. glumgrunion 2. Small fish. |
| Gruyere. | cheese |
| guacharo. | nocturnal bird, oil used for cooking and lighting |
| guaco. | plants, snakebite antidote |
| guaiac. | gualicum |
| gualicum. | tree, lignum vitae |
| guaiacol. | expectorant and local anesthetic |
| guan. | like curassows |
| guanaco. | like llama |
| guanethidine. | treatment for hypertension |
| guanine. | DNA base unit |
| guar. | legume |
| guaranty. | collateral |
| guardant. | animal shown on coat of arms |
| guard hair. | on belly of animals |
| Guarnerius. | violin |
| guayule. | source of rubber |
| gudgeon. | Eurasian freshwater fish |
| gudgeon. | metal journal at the end of a shaft around which a wheel turns, socket into which a pin fits socket for the pintle of a rudder; metal pin joining 2 pieces of stone |
| Gidrun | Nibelung king’s daughter, Sigurd’s wife |
| Guelph | faction that supported pope and city-states against the Ghibellines |
| guenon | long-legged African monkeys |
| guerdon | reward, requital |
| guidon | military pennant |
| guild | plant (lianas, epiphytes, saprophtyes, and parasites) depending on other plants |
| guillemot | northern black-and-white sea bird |
| guilloche. | two or more interlaced bands giving rounded design |
| guimpe. | gimp; short-sleeved blouse, worn with jumper; yoke insert (nuns) |
| guinea. | 1 pound, 5 pence |
| guinea worm. | threadlike nematode |
| guipure. | coarse, large-patterned lace, sans net ground |
| gul. | stylized rose motif in oriental rug |
| gular. | pertaining to the throat |
| gumbo-limbo. | tree |
| gules. | red on a blazon, shown by engraved vertical lines |
| gumma. | small tumor found in advanced stages of syphilis |
| gummosis. | patches of gum on fruit trees resulting from severe weather or infestation |
| gumption. | common sense |
| Gunnar. | Sigurd’s brother-in-law, Gidrun’s brother, Brunhilde’s husband |
| Gunn effect. | microwave oscillations when higher voltage is applied to a semiconductor |
| gunwale. | upper edge of a ship’s side |
| Guoyu. | Chinese mandarin |
| gurgitation. | whirling motion, ebullition |
| Gurkha. | from Nepal |
| gurnard. | flying gurnard (fish) |
| gurry. | fish offal |
| gusset. | triangular-shaped |
| gutta. | small, drop-like ornaments on a Doric entablature |
| gutta-percha. | waterproofing and electrical insulation |
| guttate. | form of drops; spotted by drops |
| guttaralize | pronounce gutterally, to velarize (sound w. tongue toward soft palate) |
| guyot. | flat-topped seamount |
| gymkhana. | athletic contests |
| gymnosophist. | naked Hindu ascetics |
| gymnosperm. | coniferous trees: seeds not enclosed within an ovary |
| gynandromorph. | male and female both |
| gynoecium. | female reproductive organs of a flower: pistils |
| gyplure. | synthetic sex attractant for gypsy moths |
| gypsophelia. | baby’s breath |
| gyro. | pita bread, filled with meat (lamb), onions and tomatoes |
| gyrus. | convolution of the brain |