: a unit of liquid capacity equal to four fluid ounces see Weights and Measures Table
1
: an organ (as of a fish) for obtaining oxygen from water
2
a
b
: the flesh under or about the chin or jaws
—usually used in plural
c
: one of the radiating plates forming the undersurface of the cap of a mushroom fungus
gilled; gilling; gills
of fish
: to become entangled in a gill net
giller
noun
Synonyms
Examples of gill in a Sentence
Noun (3)
a narrow gill in the Cumbrian Mountains of the Lake District
a narrow but surprisingly deep gill runs the length of the rocky gorge
Noun (4)
every Jack must have his Gill
Recent Examples on the Web
Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Oct. 2024
Part of what makes these particular pitchers unique are their anatomically correct fish fins, gills and scales.
—Kim Foley MacKinnon, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
Tazewell previously told Variety about how the underside of mushrooms (aka mushroom gills) inspired his designs for Elphaba’s witch dress.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
Once free of the stomach, the eel would poke its tail from the gills and undulate until the rest of its body emerged.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN, 13 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gill 
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Noun
Beginning around 390 million years ago, however, the ancestors of modern land animals rose out of the waters, trading their fins for limbs and gills for lungs.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Oct. 2024
Part of what makes these particular pitchers unique are their anatomically correct fish fins, gills and scales.
—Kim Foley MacKinnon, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
Tazewell previously told Variety about how the underside of mushrooms (aka mushroom gills) inspired his designs for Elphaba’s witch dress.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
Once free of the stomach, the eel would poke its tail from the gills and undulate until the rest of its body emerged.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN, 13 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gill
Articles Related to gill
Dictionary Entries Near gill
Cite this Entry
“Gill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gill. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
gill
2 of 2 noun1
: an organ (as of a fish) of thin plates or threadlike processes for obtaining oxygen from water
2
: the flesh under or about the chin or jaws
—usually used in plural
3
: one of the plates arranged in a circle and forming the undersurface of the cap of a mushroom
Medical Definition
gill
1 of 2 noun
: either of two units of capacity:
a
: a British unit equal to ¹/₄ imperial pint or 8.669 cubic inches
b
: a United States liquid unit equal to ¹/₄ United States liquid pint or 7.218 cubic inches
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