Gills are the organs on the sides of fish and other water creatures through which they breathe.
gill in British English1
(ɡɪl)
noun
1.
the respiratory organ in many aquatic animals, consisting of a membrane or outgrowth well supplied with blood vessels. External gills occur in tadpoles, some molluscs, etc; internal gills, within gill slits, occur in most fishes
▶ Related adjective: branchial
2.
any of the radiating leaflike spore-producing structures on the undersurface of the cap of a mushroom
verb
3.
to catch (fish) or (of fish) to be caught in a gill net
4. (transitive)
to gut (fish)
Derived forms
gilled
adjective
gill-less (ˈgill-less)
adjective
gill-like (ˈgill-ˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
C14: of Scandinavian origin; compare Swedish gäl, Danish gjælle, Greek khelunē lip
gill in British English2
(dʒɪl)
noun
1.
a unit of liquid measure equal to one quarter of a pint
2. Northern England dialect
half a pint, esp of beer
Word origin
C14: from Old French gille vat, tub, from Late Latin gillō cooling vessel for liquids, of obscure origin
gill in British English3
or ghyll (ɡɪl)
noun dialect
1.
a narrow stream; rivulet
2.
a wooded ravine
3. (capital when part of place name)
a deep natural hole in rock; pothole
Gaping Gill
Word origin
C11: from Old Norse gil steep-sided valley
gill in British English4
(dʒɪl)
noun
1. archaic
a girl or sweetheart
2. dialect
a female ferret
Also spelt: jill
3. an archaic or dialect name for ground ivy
Word origin
C15: special use of Gill, short for Gillian, girl's name
Gill in British English
(ɡɪl)
noun
(Arthur) Eric (Rowton). 1882–1940, British sculptor, engraver, and typographer: his sculptures include the Stations of the Cross in Westminster Cathedral, London
gill in American English1
(gɪl)
noun
1.
the organ for breathing of most animals that live in water, as fish, lobsters, or clams, consisting of a simple saclike or complex feathery evagination of the body surface, usually richly supplied with blood
2. [pl.]
a.
the red flesh hanging below the beak of a fowl; wattle
b.
the flesh under and about the chin and lower jaw of a person
3.
any of the thin, leaflike, radiating plates on the undersurface of a mushroom, on which the basidiospores are produced
Derived forms
gilled (gɪld)
adjective
Word origin
ME gile, prob. < Anglo-N < or akin to ON gjǫlnar, jaws, gills, older Dan (fiske) gaeln, Swed gäl < IE base *ghelunā-, jaw > Gr chelynē, lip, jaw
gill in American English2
(dʒɪl)
noun
a unit of liquid measure, equal to 1⁄4 pint or 4 fluid ounces (0.11829375 liquid liter or 118.29375 milliliters)
the British and Canadian imperial gill equals 0.1421 liquid liter: abbrev. gi
Word origin
ME gille < OFr, measure for wine < LL gillo, cooling vessel
gill in American English3
(dʒɪl)
noun
[alsoG-]; Archaic
a girl or woman; esp., a sweetheart
Word origin
contr. of Gillian, proper name < L Juliana, fem. of Julianus: see Julian1
gill in American English4
(gɪl)
noun British
1.
a wooded ravine or glen
2.
a narrow stream; brook
Word origin
ME gille < ON gil < IE base *ĝheri-, to gape > yawn, L hiatus
Examples of 'gill' in a sentence
gill
The gills are white and the cap is usually a pale green colour.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This will remove the gills as well.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
She went white at the gills.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Aim for the eyes and gills.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
An invader from Europe with distinctive gills and cap has been spotted in Britain for the first time.