English Explanatory Dictionary

gargoyle

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A carved grotesque figure on a spout which conveys water away from the gutters.
  2. Any decorative carved grotesque figure on a building.
  3. A fictional winged monster.
  4. An ugly woman.

Pronunciation

/ˈɡɑːɡɔɪl/ /ˈɡɑɹɡɔɪl/ en-us-gargoyle.ogg en-au-gargoyle.ogg

Word forms

gargoyle gargoyles

Etymology

From Old French gargouille, from Latin. Doublet of gargle. The Académie Française suggests the first attestation as gargoule in 1294.

Synonyms

grotesque hunky punk crone hag

Derived words

gargoyled gargoyle gecko gargoyleish gargoylelike gargoylesque gargoyley gargoylish gargoylism
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