G

Source: the Online Etymology Dictionary
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gab - c.1150, via Scottish and northern England dialect, from O.N. gabba "to mock," or O.Fr. gab "mockery, boasting," both probably ultimately imitative. Gabby first attested 1719.
gable - 1338, from O.Fr. gable, from O.N. gafl, and, in north of England, directly from O.N. Perhaps related to O.E. gafol, geafel "fork" (if so, probably so called for the Y-shaped timber supports of the roof at gable ends); or possibly from PIE *ghebhala "head."
gad (v.) - 1460, perhaps a back-formation of O.E. gædeling "wandering," or associated with gad (n.) "a goad for driving cattle" (see gadfly). Gadabout is 1817, from earlier gadder about (16c.).
gadfly (n.) - 1626, "fly which bites cattle," probably from gad "goad, metal rod" (1250), here in the sense of "stinger," from O.N. gaddr "spike, nail," from P.Gmc. *gadaz "pointed stick;" but sense is entangled with gad (v.) and an early meaning of gadfly was also "someone who likes to go about, often stopping here and there."
gaffe - 1909, from Fr. gaffe "blunder," originally "boat hook," from O.Fr. gaffe, from O.Prov. gaf, probably from W.Goth. *gafa "hook," from P.Gmc. *gafa. Sense connection may be via earlier Brit. slang gaff "to cheat, trick" (1893).
gag (v.) - c.1440, possibly imitative or influenced by O.N. gaghals "with head thrown back;" originally "to strangle," the sense of "stop a person's mouth" is first attested 1509. The noun is 1553, from the verb.
gaggle - early 15c., possibly from O.N. gagl "goose."
gainsay - early 14c., lit. "say against," from O.E. gegn- "against" + say. "Solitary survival of a once common prefix" [Weekley].
gait - c.1200, gate "a going or walking, departure, journey," earlier "way, road, path," from O.N. gata "way, road, path." Modern spelling developed before 1750.
gale - early 16c., from gaile "wind," origin uncertain, perhaps from O.N. gol "breeze," or O.Dan. galen "bad," from galinn "bewitched."
gall (1) - O.E. galla (Anglian), gealla (W. Saxon) "bile," from P.Gmc. *gallon-, from PIE base *ghol-/*ghel- "gold, yellow." Informal sense of "impudence, boldness" first recorded Amer.Eng. 1882; but meaning "embittered spirit, rancor" is from c.1200.
gall (2) - "sore spot," O.E. gealla "painful swelling," from L. galla "gall, lump on plant," originally "oak apple," of uncertain origin.
gallows - c.1230, pl. of M.E. galwe "gallows," from O.N. galgi, or from O.E. galga (Mercian), gealga (W. Saxon); all from P.Gmc. *galg- "pole." Originally also used of the cross of the crucifixion. Plural because made of two poles.
gamble (v.) - 1726, from M.E. gamen, gamenen "to play, jest, be merry" (12c.), or from a derivative of gamel "to play games" (1594). Intrusive -b- may be from confusion with gambol.
game (n.) - O.E. gamen "joy, fun, amusement," of unknown origin, perhaps from P.Gmc. *ga- collective prefix + *mann "person," for a sense of "people together." Meaning of "wild animals caught for sport" is c.1300. Adjective sense of "brave, spirited" is 1725, from the noun, especially in game-cock "bird for fighting." Game show first attested 1961.
gander - O.E. gandra "male goose," from P.Gmc. *ganez-. The slang sense of "long look" is 1887, from the notion of craning one's neck like a goose; the verb in this sense is attested from 1914.
gang - O.E. gong "a going, journey, way, passage," and O.N. gangr "a group of men, a set," from P.Gmc. *gangaz. Gangster is 1908, Amer.Eng.; gangsta rap style is generally credited to West Philly hip hop artist Schoolly D, but his "Gangster Boogie" (1984) used the conventional spelling; NWA was spelling it gangsta by 1988. Gangway is O.E. gangweg "road, passage," and preserves the original sense of the word, as does gangplank (1861, Amer.Eng., replacing earlier gang-board). Gangbang first attested 1953 in the sexual sense; street-gang sense is from 1960s. To come on like gangbusters (c.1940) is from radio drama "Gangbusters" (1937-57) which always opened with a cacophany of sirens, screams, shots, and jarring music.
gap - 1261, from O.N. gap "chasm," related to gapa "to gape." Originally "hole in a wall;" broader sense is 16c.
gape - early 13c., from O.N. gapa "to open the mouth, gape," of unknown origin.
gar - 1765, Amer.Eng., shortening of garfish, from O.E. gar "spear," from P.Gmc. *gaizo-.
garish - 1545, possibly from M.E. gawren "to stare," from O.N. gaurr "rough fellow."
garlic - O.E. garleac (Mercian), garlec (W. Saxon), from gar "spear" (in reference to the clove, from P.Gmc. *garzas) + leac "leek."
gate - O.E. gæt (pl. geatu) "opening, passage," from P.Gmc. *gatan. Meaning "money collected from selling tickets" dates from 1896. Gate-crasher is from 1927.
gather - O.E. gadrian, gædrian, related to gæd "fellowship," and god "good," from P.Gmc. *gadurojan "bring together, unite." Change of spelling from -d- to -th- is 1500s, reflecting earlier change in pronunciation.
gauntlet (2) - "military punishment," 1661, earlier gantlope (1646), from Swed. gatlopp "passageway," from O.Swed. gata "lane" + lopp "course." Probably borrowed by Eng. soldiers during Thirty Years' War.
gawk - 1785, perhaps from M.E. gowen "to stare," from O.N. ga "to heed." Gawky (1724) is from gawk hand "left hand" (1703), perhaps a contraction of gaulick, thus "gaulish hand," derogatory slang that could have originated during some period of strained Anglo-Fr. relations.
gaze - c.1395, of Scand. origin (cf. Norw., Swed. dial. gasa "to gape"), related somehow to O.N. ga "heed."
gear - 12c., from O.N. gervi "apparel," related to gerr "ready," and gerva "make ready," from P.Gmc. *garwin-, from PIE *garw-. Meaning of "toothed wheel in machinery" first attested 1523. British slang sense of "stylish, excellent" first recorded early 1950s.
geld (n.) - O.E. gield "payment, tribute."
geld (v.) - c.1300, from O.N. gelda "castrate," from geldr "barren." The noun gelding (1296) is from O.N. geldingr.
gesundheit - Ger., lit. "health!" Also in toast auf ihre Gesundheit "to your health." Lith. aciu, echoic of the sound of a sneeze, has come to mean "good luck, God bless you." See also God.
get - c.1200, from O.N. geta "to obtain, reach," from P.Gmc. *getan, from PIE base *ghed- "sieze." Meaning "to seize mentally, grasp" is from 1892. Vestiges of O.E. cognate gietan remain in compounds like beget and forget, and obliquely in pp. gotten and original pt. gat. Slang get over "recover, rebound" is from 1687. Getaway "escape" is from 1890.
geyser - 1780, from Icelandic Geysir, name of a hot spring in the valley of Haukadal, from O.N. geysa "to gush," from P.Gmc. *gausjan, from PIE *gheus-, from root *gheu- "to pour."
ghastly - O.E. gæstan "to torment, frighten" + -lich. Spelling with gh- developed 16c. from confusion with ghost.
ghost - O.E. gast "soul, spirit, life, breath," from PIE base *ghois-. The gh- spelling appeared c.1425, influenced by Flem. and M.Du. gheest. Original sense in Holy Ghost. Modern sense of "disembodied spirit of a dead person" is 14c. Sense of "slight suggestion" (in ghost image, ghost of a chance, etc.) is first recorded 1613; that of ghost writer is 1884.
giddy - O.E. gidig, variant of *gydig "insane, mad, stupid, possessed by a spirit," probably from P.Gmc. *guthigaz, from *guthan "god" + *-ig "possessed."
gift - 1104, from O.N. gift, from P.Gmc. *geftiz. O.E. cognate giefu meant only "bride-price." Sense of "natural talent" is early 14c.
gig (1) - "light carriage, small boat," 1790, perhaps, on notion of bouncing, from M.E. ghyg "spinning top" (in whyrlegyg, 1440), also "giddy girl" (giglet), from O.N. geiga "turn sideways," or Dan. gig "spinning top."
gild - O.E. gyldan, from P.Gmc. *gulthianan, from *gulthan "gold." Shakespeare's lilies were never gilded. The quote ("King John," iv.2) is, "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily."
gill (1) - "organ of breathing," early 14c., from O.N. giolnar "gills;" O.Dan. -gæln (in fiske-gæln "fish gill").
gilt - pp. of M.E. gilden, from O.E. gyldan (see gild).
gird - O.E. gyrdan "put a belt or girdle around," from P.Gmc. *gurthjanan. Girder is first attested 1611.
girdle - O.E. gyrdel "belt, sash, cord about the waist." Modern euphemistic sense of "elastic corset" first recorded 1925.
girl - M.E. gyrle "child" (of either sex), perhaps related to O.E. gierela "garment." Specific meaning of "female child" is 14c. Like boy, lass, lad it is of obscure origin. "Probably most of them arose as jocular transferred uses of words that had originally different meaning." [O.E.D.] Applied to "any unmarried woman" since 1530. Girl next door as a type of unflashy attractiveness is first recorded 1961.
girth - O.N. gjorth "girdle, belt, hoop," from P.Gmc. *ertu. Sense of "measurement around an object" first recorded 1664.
give - O.E. giefan (W. Saxon), class V strong verb (past tense geaf, pp. giefen), from P.Gmc. *gebanan; it became yiven in M.E., but changed to guttural "g" by infl. of O.N. gefa "to give," O.Dan. givæ. Given (O.E. giefeðe) also had a n. sense of "fate," reflecting an important concept in pagan Gmc. ideology. To give (someone) a cold seems to reflect the old belief that one could be cured of disease by deliberately infecting others.
glad - O.E. glæd "bright, shining, joyous," from P.Gmc. *glathaz. Gladden is O.E. gladian "be glad, make glad" + -en. Slang glad rags "one's best clothes" first recorded 1902.
glade - 1130s, from O.N. gladhr "bright." Original meaning of "open (hence, bright) space in a wood," led 17c. to Amer.Eng. sense of "marshy grassland" first recorded c.1796.
glass - O.E. glæs, from W.Gmc. *glasam, from P.Gmc. base *gla-/*gle-, from PIE *gel-/*ghel-, a color word that is the root of words for grey, blue, green, and yellow. Sense of "drinking glass" is pre-1200; glasses for "spectacles" is 1660s. The glass slipper in "Cinderella" is probably an error by Charles Perrault, translating in 1697, mistaking O.Fr. voir "ermine, fur" for verre "glass." In other versions of the tale it is a fur slipper. Glass ceiling first recorded 1990.
gleam - O.E. glæm "brightness, splendor, radiance," from P.Gmc. *glaimiz, from root *glim-. Verb is 13c., from noun.
glee - O.E. gliu "entertainment, mirth, jest," from P.Gmc. *gliujan. A poetic word in M.E., obsolete c.1500-c.1700, it somehow found its way back to currency late 18c. Glee club is from the secondary O.E. sense of "unaccompanied part-song," as a form of musical entertainment.
glide - O.E. glidan "move along smoothly and easily" (class I strong verb, past tense glad, past participle gliden), from W.Gmc. *glidan. Glider "motorless airplane," is c.1897.
glimmer - mid-14c., frequentive of P.Gmc. *glim-, root of O.E. glæm "brightness" (see gleam). Originally "shine brightly," sense shifted 1500s to "shine faintly."
glimpse - probably from O.E. *glimsian "shine faintly," from P.Gmc. *glim-. If so, the intrusive -p- would be there to ease pronunciation. Sense of "catch a quick view" first recorded 1779.
glint - 1787, from Scottish, apparently an alteration of M.E. glenten "gleam, flash, glisten," from Scand. (cf. Norw. gletta "to look"), from P.Gmc. *glent-. Introduced into Eng. by Burns.
glisten - O.E. glisnian, from P.Gmc. root *glis-.
glitter (v.) - 13c., from O.N. glitra "to glitter," from glit "brightness," from P.Gmc. *glit- "shining, bright." Cognate with O.E. glitenian "to glitter."
gloaming - O.E. glomung, from glom "twilight," related to glowan "to glow." Fell from currency, but preserved in Scotland and reintroduced by Burns and other Scottish writers after 1785.
gloat - 1575, from O.N. glotta "smile scornfully."
glove - O.E. glof "covering for the hand," from P.Gmc. *galofo, from *ga- collective prefix + *lofo "hand."
glow - O.E. glowan "to shine as if red-hot," from P.Gmc. base *glo-, from PIE *ghlo-.
glower - c.1350, Scandinavian (cf. Norw. dial. glora "to glow"), from P.Gmc. base *glo-, root of O.E. glowan "to glow," which infl. the spelling.

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glucose - 1840, from Fr., from Gk. gleukos "must, sweet wine," related to glyks "sweet."
glue - 1225, from O.Fr. glu, from L.L. glus (gen. glutis) "glue," from L. gluten "glue," from PIE *gloi-.
glug - 1768, imitative.
glum - 1547, from M.E. gloumen (v.) "become dark" (c.1300), later gloumben "look gloomy or sullen" (c.1380); see gloom.
glut (v.) - early 14c., probably from O.Fr. gloter "to swallow, gulp down," from L. gluttire "swallow, gulp down." The noun is 1579, from the verb.
gluten - 1803, from L. gluten (gen. glutinis) "glue." Glutinous "of the nature of glue" is early 15c., from L. glutinosus, from gluten.
glutton - 12c., from O.Fr. gluton, from L. gluttonem, acc. of glutto "overeater," formed from gluttire "to swallow," from gula "throat," from PIE *gel-.
glycerin - 1838, from Fr. glycérine, coined by Fr. chemist Michel-Eugène Chevreul from Gk. glykeros "sweet."
gnarled - 1814, probably a variant of M.E. knar "knot in wood" (1382), originally "a rock, a stone," of uncertain origin. Used once in Shakespeare ("Measure for Measure," 1603), then languished in obscurity until picked up by romantic poets 19c. Gnarly originated 1970s as surfer slang to describe a dangerous wave; it had spread in teen slang by 1980s, to mean both "excellent" and "disgusting."
gnash - 1496, variant of M.E. gnasten, perhaps from O.N. gnastan "a gnashing," of unknown origin.
gnat - O.E. gnætt, earlier gneat, from P.Gmc. *gnattaz.
gnaw - O.E. gnagan.
gneiss - 1757, from Ger. Gneiss, from M.H.G. gneist "spark" (so called because the rock glitters), from O.H.G. gneisto "spark."
gnome - 1712, from Fr. gnome, from L. gnomus, coined 16c. by Paracelsus, possibly from Gk. *genomos "earth-dweller."
gnomic - "full of instructive sayings," 1815, from Fr. gnomique, from L.L. gnomicus "concerned with maxims, didactic," from Gk. gnomikos, from gnome "thought, opinion, maxim, intelligence," from gignoskein "to come to know" (see know).
gnomon - 1546, from L. gnomon, from Gk. gnomon "indicator," lit. "one who discerns," from gignoskein "to come to know" (see know).
gnostic - c.1585, from L.L. gnosticus, from Late Gk. gnostikos, noun use of adj. gnostikos "knowing, able to discern," from gnostos "knowable," from gignoskein "to come to know" (see know). Applied to various early Christian sects that claimed direct personal knowledge beyond the Gospel or the Church hierarchy.
gnu - 1777, from Du. gnoe, from Hottentot i-ngu "wildebeest," from Southern Bushman !nu: (in which ! and : represent clicks).
go - O.E. gan "to go," from P.Gmc. *gai-/*gæ-, from PIE *ghei-. The O.E. past tense was eode, of uncertain origin but evidently once a different word; it was replaced 1400s by went, formerly past tense of wenden "to direct one's way" (see wend). Meaning "say" emerged 1960s in teen slang. On the go is 1843; go-between is 1598; go-cart is 1676, originally "a litter, sedan chair," also "an infant's walker;" go-getter is 1910, Amer.Eng., but goer, with essentially the same meaning, is c.1378. Go-go is from 1964 with the meaning "fashionable," from slang the go "the rage;" go-go dancer is from 1965. Goner "something dead or about to die" is first recorded 1850.
goad (n.) - O.E. gad "spearhead," from P.Gmc. *gaido, from PIE *ghai-. Figurative use since 16c., probably from the Bible.
goal - 1531, perhaps from O.E. *gal "obstacle, barrier," a word implied by gælan "to hinder." Football sense is attested from 1548.
goat - O.E. gat "she-goat," from P.Gmc. *gaitaz, from PIE *ghaidos "play." The word for "male goat" in O.E. was bucca (see buck) until late 1300s shift to he-goat, she-goat. (Nanny goat is 18c., billy goat 19c.). Meaning "licentious man" is attested from 1675. Goatee is first attested 1844, as goaty. To get (someone's) goat is from 1912, perhaps with notion of "to steal a goat mascot from a racehorse," or from Fr. prendre sa chèvre "take one's source of milk."
gob - c.1382, from O.Fr. gobe "mouthful, lump," from gober "gulp, swallow down," probably from Gaul. *gobbo- (cf. Ir. gob "beak, mouth").
gobble (1) - "eat fast," 1601, probably partly echoic, partly frequentive of gob, via gobben "drink something greedily."
gobble (2) - "turkey noise," 1680, probably imitative.
gobbledygook - 1944, Amer.Eng., first used by Maury Maverick, chairman of U.S. Smaller War Plants Corporation, probably chosen for its turkey-like sound, but clearly an alteration of earlier slang gobbledygoo, originally "a prostitute specializing in fellatio," lexicalization of gobble the goo "perform fellatio."
goblet - c.1380, from O.Fr. gobelet, dim. of gobel "cup," probably related to gobe "gulp down" (see gob (1)).
goblin - early 14c., from O.Fr. gobelin, of uncertain origin, perhaps related to Ger. kobold (see cobalt), or dim. of proper name Gobel.
god - O.E. god "supreme being, deity," from P.Gmc. *guthan, from PIE *ghut- "that which is invoked," from root *gheu(e)- "to call, invoke." But some trace it to PIE *ghu-to- "poured," from root *gheu- "to pour, pour a libation" (source of Gk. khein "to pour," khoane "funnel" and khymos "juice;" also in the phrase khute gaia "poured earth," referring to a burial mound). "Given the Greek facts, the Germanic form may have referred in the first instance to the spirit immanent in a burial mound." [Watkins] Originally neut. in Gmc., the gender shifted to masc. after the coming of Christianity. Godsend is from 1814, originally "a wreck;" sense of "happy chance" is from 1831. God-fearing is attested from 1835; godawful is from 1878. Godhead, with maidenhead, are sole survivors of M.E. -hede, cognate with -hood and Ger. -heit. God bless you after someone sneezes is credited to St. Gregory the Great, but the pagan Romans (Absit omen) and Greeks had similar customs.
gofer - 1956, Amer.Eng. coinage from go for (coffee, spare parts, etc.), with a pun on gopher.
goggle (v.) - 1540, from M.E. gogelen "to roll about," infl. by M.E. gogel-eyed "squint-eyed, one-eyed," of uncertain origin. As a surname (Robert le Gogel) attested from 1307. Noun sense of "protective eyeglasses" first recorded 1715.
goiter - 1625, from Fr. goître, from Rhône dialect, from O.Prov. goitron "throat, gullet," from L. guttur "throat."
gold - O.E. gold, from P.Gmc. *gulth-, from PIE *ghel-. Golden replaced M.E. gilden, from O.E. gyldan. Goldenrod is 1568; goldfinch is from O.E. goldfinc; goldfish is from 1698; goldilocks is first recorded 1550. Gold-digger "woman who pursues men for their money," first recorded 1915. Goldbrick (n.) "shirker" is World War I armed forces slang, from earlier verb meaning "to swindle, cheat" (1902) from the old con game of selling spurious gold bricks.
golf - Scot. gouf, perhaps an alteration of M.Du. colf, colve "stick, club, bat," from P.Gmc. *kulth-. The game is from 14c., the word is first mentioned (along with fut-bol) in a 1457 Scot. statute on forbidden games.
Golgotha - 1593, via L. and Gk., from Aramaic, lit. "place of the skull," from Heb. gulgoleth "skull."
gonad - 1880, coined from Gk. gone "seed," from gignesthai "be born."
gondola - 1549, from It. (Venetian) gondola, earlier goundel, from O.It. gondula, perhaps from Rhaeto-Romanic dial. gondola "roll, rock." Meaning "cabin of an airship" is 1890s.
gonfalon - 1595, variant of M.E. gonfanon, from O.Fr. gonfanon "knight's pennon," from O.H.G. guntfano "battle flag," from P.Gmc. *gunthja- "war" + *fano "banner." Change of -n- to -l- by dissimilation.
gong - c.1600, from Malay gong, probably imitative of its sound when struck.
gonorrhea - 1526, from L.L. gonorrhoia, from gonos "seed" + rhoe "flow," from rhein "to flow." Mucus discharge mistaken for semen.
gonzo - 1972, Amer.Eng., in Hunter S. Thompson's phrase gonzo journalism, from It. gonzo "simpleton, blockhead."
goo - 1911, Amer.Eng., apparently a back-formation of gooey (1905), from burgoo (1787) "thick porridge."
goober - 1833, Amer.Eng., of African origin, perhaps Bantu (cf. Kikongo and Kimbundu nguba "peanut").
good (adj.) - O.E. god (with a long "o") "having the right or desirable quality," from P.Gmc. *gothaz, from PIE base *ghedh- "to unite, be associated, suitable." Irregular comparatives (better, best) reflect a widespread pattern, cf. L. bonus, melior, optimus. Goods "property" first recorded c.1280, but singular in the same sense was in O.E. Good-bye is 1570s, from godbwye, contraction of God be with ye, infl. by good day, good evening, etc. Good-for-nothing is from 1711; good-looking is from 1780; good-natured first recorded 1577. Good sport is from 1917; good to go is military slang from Persian Gulf War (1991). Goody "something tasty" is 1745; adj. use for "sentimentally proper" is 1830. Goody also used since 1559 as a shortened form of goodwife, a term of civility applied to a married woman in humble life; hence Goody Two-shoes, name of heroine in 1760s children's story who exulted upon acquiring a second shoe.
goof - 1916, Amer.Eng., "stupid person," perhaps a variant of Eng. dial. goff "foolish clown" (1869), from 16c. goffe, probably from M.Fr. goffe "awkward, stupid," of uncertain origin. Or Eng. goffe may be from M.E. goffen "speak in a frivolous manner," possibly from O.E. gegaf "buffoonery," and gaffetung "scolding." Sense of "a blunder" is c.1954, probably infl. by gaffe, the verbal meaning "waste time" is 1932; goof off "loaf" is 1941. Goofy is attested from 1921; goofball "narcotic" is from 1930s; as an intensive of goof, 1959.
googol - coined 1940, supposedly by the 9-year-old nephew of U.S. mathematician Edward Kasmer, when asked for a name for an enormous number. Perhaps influenced by comic strip character Barney Google.
gook - 1899, U.S. military slang for "Filipino" during the insurrection there, probably from a native word. Extended over time to "Nicaraguan," "any Pacific Islander" (World War II), "Korean" (1950s), "Vietnamese" and "any Asian" (1960s).
goombah - from dialectal pronunciation of It. compare "companion, godfather."
goon - 1921, "stupid person," from gooney (1896), of unknown origin; sense of "thug hired to break strikes" first recorded 1938, probably from Alice the Goon, slow-witted and muscular (but gentle-natured) character in "Thimble Theater" comic strip (starring Popeye) by E.C. Segar. What are now "juvenile delinquents" were in the 1940s sometimes called goonlets.
goose - "a large waterfowl proverbially noted, I know not why, for foolishness" [Johnson], O.E. gos, from P.Gmc. *gans-, from PIE *ghans- probably imitative of its honking. Loss of "n" is normal before "s." Plural form geese is an example of i-mutation. Meaning "simpleton" is from 1547. The verbal meaning "jab in the rear" (1881) is possibly from resemblance of the upturned thumb to a goose's beak. To cook one's goose first attested 1845, of unknown origin, attempts to connect it to Swedish history and Gk. fables have been unconvincing. Goose egg "zero" first attested 1866 in baseball slang.
gopher - 1814, Amer.Eng., of uncertain origin, perhaps an anglicization of Louisiana Fr. gaufre "honeycomb, waffle," said to have been used of small mammals on analogy of the structure of their burrows, from O.Fr. gaufre, of Frank. origin.
Gordian knot - 1561, tied by Gordius, king of Phrygia in Asia Minor, who predicted the one to loosen it would rule Asia. Instead, Alexander the Great "cut the Gordian knot" with his sword; hence the extended sense (1579 in Eng.) "solve a difficult problem in a quick, dramatic way."
gore (n.) - O.E. gor "dirt, dung, shit," a Gmc. word, of uncertain origin. Sense of "clotted blood" (especially shed in battle) developed in M.E.
gore (v.) - 14c., from Scottish gorren "to pierce, stab," origin unknown, perhaps related to O.E. gar "spear," which is certainly the source of the third meaning of Mod.Eng. gore, "triangular piece of fabric or ground."
gorge (n.) - 1185, from O.Fr. gorge "throat, bosom," from L.L. gurga, variant of gurges "gullet, throat, jaws," probably from L. gurges "abyss, whirlpool," related to gurgulio "gullet." Transfered sense of "deep, narrow valley" was in O.Fr. The verbal meaning "eat greedily" is from O.Fr. gorger, from gorge.
gorgeous - c.1495, from M.Fr. gorgias "elegant, fashionable, fond of jewelry," lit. "necklace" from O.Fr. gorge "bosom, throat," also "something adorning the throat."
gorget - 1470, from O.Fr. gorgete, dim. of gorge "throat."
gorgon - 14c., any of the three hideous sisters in Gk. legend, whose look turned beholders to stone (Madusa was one of them), from Gk. Gorgo (pl. Gorgones), from gorgos "terrible."
gorgonzola - 1885, for Gorgonzola, village near Milan, where it was first made.
gorilla - applied to the apes 1847 by U.S. missionary Thomas Savage, from Gk. gorillai, pl. of name given to wild, hairy people in Gk. translation of Carthaginian navigator Hanno's account of his voyage along the N.W. coast of Africa, c.500 B.C.E. Allegedly an African word.
gorse - O.E. gors, from P.Gmc. *gurst-, from PIE *ghrzd- "roughness."
gosh - 1757, altered pronunciation of God. Probably from by gosse (mid-16c.).
goshawk - O.E. goshafoc, from gos "goose" + hafoc "hawk."
gosling - c.1275, from O.N. gæslingr, replaced O.E. gesling.
gospel - O.E. godspel "good news," from god "good" + spel "story, message," translation of L. bona adnuntiatio, itself a translation of Gk. euangelion "reward for bringing good news." First element of the O.E. word had a long "o," but it shifted under mistaken assoc. with God.
gossamer - 13c., perhaps from gos "goose" + sumer "summer," in reference to spider threads spun in fields of stubble in late fall, either because of a fancied resemblance to down, or because geese are in season then. The adj. sense "filmy" is attested from 1802.
gossip - O.E. godsibb "godparent," from God + sibb "relative," of unknown origin. Extended in M.E. to "any familiar acquaintance," later (1566) to "anyone engaging in familiar or idle talk." Sense extended 1811 to "trifling talk, groundless rumor."
goth - see gothic.
Gotham - "New York City," first used by Washington Irving, 1807, based on "Merrie Tales of the Mad Men of Gotham" (1460), a collection of legendary stories of English villagers alternately wise and foolish. There is a village of this name in Nottinghamshire, originally Gatham (1086), O.E., "Enclosure (lit. 'homestead') where goats are kept."
gothic - "of the Goths," Gmc. people who lived in Eastern Europe c. 100 A.D. (O.E. Gota, L.L. Goth, Gk. Gothoi), from Goth. gutthiuda "Gothic people," the first element cognate with O.N. gotar "men." "The sense 'men' is usually taken to be the secondary one, but as the etymology of the word is unknown, this is uncertain" [Gordon]. The unhistorical -th- in Eng. is from L.L. Used in sense of "savage despoiler" for their sack of Roman cities, 5c., and later by scholars for "Germanic, Teutonic," hence its evolution as a term for the art style that emerged in northern Europe in the Middle Ages, and the 19c. literary style that used medieval settings to suggest horror and mystery. The word was revived 1983 as the name for a style of music and the associated youth culture; abbreviated form goth is attested from 1986.
gouache - 1882, from Fr., from It. guazzo "water color, spray, pool," from L. aquatio "watering, watering place."
gouge (n.) - 1350, from O.Fr. gouge, from L.L. gubia, alteration of gulbia "hollow beveled chisel," probably from Gaulish. The verb is 1570, from the noun. Meaning "swindle" is Amer.Eng. colloquial from 1845.
goulash - 1866, from Hungarian gulyashus, from gulyas "herdsman" + hus "meat." In Hung., "beef or lamb soup made by herdsmen while pasturing."
gourd - c.1303, from Anglo-Fr. gourde, from O.Fr. coorde, ultimately from L. cucurbita, of uncertain origin, perhaps related to cucumis "cucumber."
gourmand - 1450, from M.Fr. gourmant "glutton," originally "gluttonous," of uncertain origin.
gourmet - 1820, from Fr. gourmet, altered (by infl. of M.Fr. gourmant "glutton") from O.Fr. grommes (pl.) "wine-tasters, wine merchant's servants," of uncertain origin.
gout - 12c., from O.Fr. gote "gout, drop," from L. gutta "a drop," in M.L. "gout," of unknown origin. The disease was thought to be caused by drops of viscous humors seeping from the blood into the joints, which turned out to be not that far wrong.
govern - c.1280, from O.Fr. governer "govern," from L. gubernare "to direct, rule, guide," originally "to steer," from Gk. kybernan "to steer or pilot a ship, direct." Governess is c.1450, shortening of governouresse "a woman who rules;" government is c.1380, from O.Fr. governement (replacing M.E. governance); governor (13c.) is from L. gubernatorem (nom. gubernator) "director, ruler, governor," originally "steersman, pilot." Gubernatorial preserves the L. form.
gow - 1915, "opium," from Cantonese yao-kao "opium," lit. "sap;" used as such by Raymond Chandler, etc.; by 1950s meaning had expanded to "pictures of nude or scantily clad women," hence gow job "flashy girl," which in teenager slang came to also mean "hot rod."
gown - early 14c., from O.Fr. goune, from L.L. gunna "leather garment, skin, hide," of unknown origin.
grab - 1589, from M.Du. or M.L.G. grabben "to grab," from P.Gmc. *grab. First record of grab-bag "miscellaneous mixture" is 1855, originally a carnival game.
grace - 12c., from O.Fr. grace "pleasing quality, favor, good will, thanks," from L. gratia "pleasing quality, good will, gratitude," from gratus "pleasing, agreeable." One of the three sister goddesses (L. Gratiæ, Gk. Kharites), bestowers of beauty and charm. Christianized as "God's favor or help;" sense of "virtue" is c.1330, that of "beauty of form or movement, pleasing quality" is c.1340. The grace that you say before a meal (M.E.) is in the sense of "gratitude."
grackle - 1772, from genus name Gracula, Mod.L. fem. from L. graculus "jackdaw, European crow."
gradation - 1538, from L. gradationem (nom. gradatio) "ascent by steps, climax," from gradus "step, degree."
grade (n.) - 1511, from Fr. grade "grade, degree," from L. gradus "step, degree," replacing M.E. gree "step, degree in a series," from O.Fr. grei "step," from L. gradus, related to gradi "to walk, step, go," The verb is 1659, from the noun. Railway sense is from 1835.
gradient (n.) - 1835, principally in Amer.Eng. and refering to railroads; from grade by analogy of quotient, etc.
gradual - early 15c., from M.L. gradualis, from L. gradus "step."
graduate (adj.) - early 15c., from M.L. graduatus, pp. of graduari "to take a degree," from L. gradus "step, grade." The noun is from 1479; abbreviated form grad is attested from 1871.
Grady - Ir. Grada "noble."
graffiti - 1851, for ancient wall inscriptions found in the ruins of Pompeii, from It. graffiti, pl. of graffito "a scribbling," from graffio "a scratch or scribble," from graffiare "to scribble." Sense extended to recently made crude drawings and scribbling in Eng. 1877.
graft (1) - "shoot inserted into another plant," c.1387, from O.Fr. grafe "graft, stylus," from L. graphium "stylus," from Gk. grapheion "stylus," from graphein "write." On resemblance of a stylus to the pencil-shaped shoots used in grafting.
graft (2) - "corruption," 1859, Amer.Eng., perhaps from graft (1) via Brit. slang sense of "one's occupation" (1853).
graham - crackers, etc., from unsifted whole-wheat flour, 1834, Amer.Eng., from Sylvester Graham (1794-1851), U.S. dietetic reformer. The family name is attested from 1127, an Anglo-Norm. form of the place name Grantham (Lincolnshire).
grail - 12c., from O.Fr. graal "cup," earlier "flat dish," from M.L. gradalis "a flat dish or shallow vessel," ult. from L. crater "bowl," from Gk. krater "bowl, especially for mixing wine with water." Holy Grail is M.E. Sangreal (Saint graal), grafted awkwardly onto the Celtic Arthurian legends 12c. by Church scribes in place of some pagan Otherworldly object. It was said to be the cup into which Joseph of Arimathea received the last drops of blood of Christ (according to the writers who picked up the thread of Chrétien de Troyes' "Perceval") or the dish from which Christ ate the Last Supper (Robert de Boron), and was ultimately identified as both.
grain - c.1202, from O.Fr. grein, from L. granum "seed" (see corn). Against the grain is from carpentry: cutting across the "fibers" of the wood is more difficult than cutting along them.
gram - Fr. gramme, from L.L. gramma "small weight," from Gk. gramma "small weight," originally "letter of the alphabet," from stem of graphein "to draw, write." Adopted into Eng. about two years before it was established in Fr. as a unit in the metric system by law of 19 frimaire, year VIII (1799).
-gram - suffix from telegram, first abstracted 1979, and put to wide use in forming new words, such as stripagram (1981).
grammar - 1176, from O.Fr. grammaire "learning," especially Latin and philology, from L. grammatica, from Gk. grammatike tekhne "art of letters," with a sense of both philology and literature in the broadest sense, from stem of graphein "to draw or write." Hence, gramar school "a school in which the learned languages are grammatically taught" [Johnson, who also has grammaticaster "a mean verbal pedant"].
Gramophone - 1887, trademark by German-born U.S. inventor Emil Berliner, an inversion of phonogram (1884) "the tracing made by a phonograph needle," coined from Gk. phone "voice, sound" + gramma "something written." Berliner's machine used a flat disc and succeeded. Edison's phonograph used a cylinder and did not. Despised by linguistic purists (Weekley calls gramophone "An atrocity formed by reversing phonogram") who tried to at least amend it to grammophone, it was replaced by record player after mid-1950s.
grampus - 1593, from Anglo-Fr. grampais, altered (by infl. of grand) from O.Fr. graspeis, from M.L. craspicis, lit. "fat fish," from L. crassus "thick" + piscis "fish."
granary - 1570, from L. granarium, from granum "grain."
grand - 1125, from Anglo-Fr. graunt, from O.Fr. grant, grand, from L. grandis "big, great," also "full-grown." It supplanted magnus in Romance languages; in Eng. with a special sense of "imposing." The connotations of "moral greatness, sublimity," etc., were in Latin. As a general term of admiration, 1816. The noun meaning "thousand dollars" is first recorded in Amer.Eng. underworld slang, 1915, from the adj. To grandstand "show off" is student slang from 1895 (grandstand play is attested in baseball slang from 1888). Grandfather (replacing O.E. ealdefæder) and grandmother (replacing M.E. grandame) both 15c. from M.Fr. (L. and Gk. had similar uses) Grandchild, grandson are later (16c.). The verb grandfather is from 1900. Grandfather clock is c.1880, from the popular song; they were previously known as tall case clocks or eight-day clocks.
grandee - 1598, from Sp. grande, from L. grandis "big, great."
grandeur - c.1500, from M.Fr. grandeur "grandness, greatness," from O.Fr. grand "great." Originally "loftiness, height;" extended sense of "majesty, stateliness" is first recorded 1669.
grandiloquence - 1589, from L. grandiloquentia, from grandiloquus "using lofty speech," from grandis "big" + -loquus "speaking," from loqui "speak."
grandiose - 1840, from Fr. grandiose "impressive," from It. grandioso, from L. grandis "big."
grange - 1173, from O.Fr. grange, from M.L. granica, from L. granum "grain." Originally "granary, barn;" later "outlying farm" (14c.), then "country house" (16c.).
granite - 1646, from Fr. granit(e), from It. granito "granite," originally "grained," pp. of granire "granulate," from grano "grain," from L. granum "grain."
granny - 1663, shortening of grandam or grandmother.
granola - 1970, Amer.Eng., probably from It. grano "grain."
grant (v.) - c.1225, from Anglo-Fr. graunter, from O.Fr. granter, variant of creanter "to promise, guarantee, confirm, authorize," from L. credentem (nom. credens), prp. of credere "to believe, to trust."
granular - 1774, from L.L. granulum "granule," dim. of L. granum "grain." Replaced granulous (14c.).
grape - c.1250, from O.Fr. grape "bunch of grapes," from graper "pick grapes," from Frank. word for "hook" (cf. O.H.G. krapfo "hook"), from the notion of "vine hook for grape-picking." The vine is not native to England. The word replaced O.E. winberige "wine berry." Grapefruit first recorded 1693 in Hans Sloane's catalog of Jamaican plants; presumably it originated there from chance hybrids between other cultivated citrus. Grapeshot is from 1747; grapevine "rumor source" is 1862, from U.S. Civil War slang for "telegraph wires."
graph - 1878, shortening of graphic (18c.), from L. graphicus "picturesque," from Gk. graphikos "of or for writing, belonging to drawing, picturesque," from graphe "writing, drawing," from graphein "write." Originally "to scratch" on clay tablets with a stylus. Graphic in the sense of "vivid" is from 1669.
graphite - 1796, from Ger. Graphit "black lead," from Gk. graphein "write," so called because it was used for pencils.
grapnel - 1373, dim. of O.Fr. grapil "hook," from grape "hook" (see grape).
grapple (n.) - 1295, from O.Fr. grapil "hook" (see grapnel). The verb is 1530, from the noun.
grasp - c.1350, possibly metathesis of O.E. græpsan. Originally "to reach for, feel around;" sense of "seize" first recorded mid-16c.
grass - O.E. græs, gærs "herb, plant, grass," from P.Gmc. grasan, from base *gro-/*gre- "that which grows." Sense of "marijuana" is first recorded 1938, Amer.Eng.; grasshopper is O.E. gærshoppa; grass widow (1528) was originally "discarded mistress" (cf. Ger. strohwittwe, lit. "straw-widow"), probably in allusion to beds of straw. Sense of "married woman whose husband is absent" is from 1859.
grate (n.) - 1348, from M.L. grata "lattice," from L. cratis "wickerwork."
grate (v.) - 1390s, from O.Fr. grater "to scrape," from Frank. *kratton. Senses of "sound harshly," and "annoy" are 16c., one following from the other.
grateful - 1552, from obsolete adj. grate, from L. gratus "pleasing." "A most unusual formation" [Weekley]. Hard to think of another case where Eng. uses -ful to make an adj. from an adj.
gratify - 14c., from L. gratificari, from gratus "pleasing" + root of facere "make, do, perform."
gratis - 1444, from L. gratis, contraction of gratiis "for thanks," hence, "without recompense," abl. of gratiæ "thanks," pl. of gratia "favor."
gratitude - early 15c., from M.L. gratitudo "thankfulness," from L. gratus "thankful, pleasing."
gratuity - 1523, from M.L. gratuitas "gift," probably from L. gratuitus "free, freely given," from gratus "pleasing, thankful." Gratuitous is 1656, from L. gratuitus "free," etc.; the sense of "uncalled for" is first recorded 1691.
grave (n.) - O.E. græf "grave, ditch," from P.Gmc. *graban, from PIE base *ghrebh- "dig;" related to grafan "to dig" (see grave (v.)). Graveyard shift "late-night work" is c.1907, from earlier nautical term, in reference to the loneliness of after-hours work.
grave (adj.) - 1541, from M.Fr. grave, from L. gravis "weighty, serious, heavy."
grave (v.) - O.E. grafan "to dig, carve," from P.Gmc. *grabanan (see grave (n.)). Its M.E. pp. graven is the only part still active, the rest of the word supplanted by its derivative, engrave.
gravel - c.1225, from O.Fr. gravele, dim. of grave "sand, seashore," from Celt. *gravo-.
gravity - 1509, "weight, dignity, seriousness," from L. gravitatem (nom. gravitas) "weight, heaviness, pressure," from gravis "heavy," from PIE base *gru-. The scientific sense of "force that gives weight to objects" first recorded 1641. Gravitate is first recorded 1644.
gravy - 1381, from O.Fr. grané (with -n- misread for -u- -- the character used for -v- in medieval manuscripts) "sauce, stew," probably originally "properly grained, seasoned," from L. granum "grain, seed." Gravy train (1927) was originally railroad slang for a short haul that paid well.
gray - O.E. græg (Mercian grei), from P.Gmc. *græwyaz, from PIE *ghreghwos. The distinction between British grey and U.S. gray developed 20c.
graze (1) - "feed," O.E. grasian "to feed on grass," from græs "grass."
graze (2) - "touch," 1604, perhaps a transfered sense from graze (1) via a notion of cropping grass right down to the ground.
grease - c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. grece, from O.Fr. graisse, from V.L. *crassia "(melted) animal fat, grease," from L. crassus "thick, solid, fat." Sense of "ply with bribe or protection money" is 1526, from notion of "grease the wheels." To grease (someone's) palm is from 1581. Greasy spoon "small cheap restaurant" is from 1925.
great - O.E. great "big, coarse, stout," from W.Gmc. *grautaz. Originally "big in size," it took over much of the sense of M.E. mickle, and is now largely superseded by big and large except for non-material things. As a prefix to terms denoting kinship, it is from Fr. grand, which is from L. magnus. In the sense of "excellent, wonderful" it is attested from 1848.
greaves - M.E., from O.Fr. greve "shin," of uncertain origin.
grebe - 1766, from Fr. grebe, possibly from Breton krib "a comb," since some species are crested.
greedy - O.E. grædig "greedy, covetous," possibly from P.Gmc. *grædagaz. Greed is 1609 back-formation.
Greek - O.E. Crecas (pl.), from L. Græci "the Hellenes," from Gk. Grakoi, name originally used by Illyrians for the Dorians in Epirus, from Graii, native name of the people of Epirus. Meaning "unintelligible speech, gibberish" is from 1600. Meaning "Greek letter fraternity member" is student slang, 1900.
green - O.E. grene, earlier groeni, related to O.E. growan "to grow," from W.Gmc. *gronja-, from P.Gmc. base *gro- "grow," through sense of "color of living plants." Meaning of "a field, grassy place" was in O.E. The meaning "environmental" is attested from 1972; Greens "ecology political party," first recorded 1978, from Ger. die Grünen (West Germany). Greenhorn was first "young horned animal" (1455), then "recently enlisted soldier" (1650), then "any inexperienced person" (1682). It contains the sense of green as "new, fresh, recent." Dollar bills have been greenbacks since 1870; but earlier bank paper money was called this since 1778. Greenland is O.N. Groenland, so named to induce settlers to go there. Green light in figurative sense of "permission" is from 1937.
Greenwich - O.E. Grenewic (964), lit. "Green Harbor." The Royal Observatory there founded June 22, 1675, by King Charles II specifically to solve the problem of finding longitude while at sea. In October 1884, at the behest of the President of the U.S.A., 41 delegates from 25 nations met in Washington, D.C., for the International Meridian Conference. They decided to adopt a single world meridian, passing through the principal Transit Instrument at the observatory at Greenwich, as the basis of calculation for all longitude and a worldwide 24-hour clock. The Greenwich motion passed 22-1; San Domingo voted against it; France and Brazil abstained.
greet - O.E. gretan "to come in contact with" (in sense of "attack, accost" as well as "salute, welcome"), from W.Gmc. *grotja "to resound," causative of P.Gmc. *grætanan, root of O.E. grætan (Anglian gretan) "weep, bewail," and greet still means "cry, weep" in Scot. & northern England dialect. Grætan is probably also the source of the second element in regret.
gregarious - 1668, from L. gregarius, from grex (gen. gregis) "flock, herd." Sense of "sociable" first recorded 1789.
Gregorian - music from Pope Gregory I (590-600); calendar (1582) from Pope Gregory XIII. Gregory was a common in England and Scotland by 1143 (Gregory I sent the men who converted the English to Christianity), from L. Gregarius, from Gk. gregorias, a derivative of gregoreo "to be watchful;" at times confused with L. gregarius (see gregarious).
gremlin - attested from 1941, R.A.F. aviators' slang, perhaps as old as 1923, possibly from a dial. survival of O.E. gremman "to anger, vex" + -lin of goblin; or from Ir. gruaimin "bad-tempered little fellow."
grenade - 1591, from M.Fr. grenade "pomegranate," from O.Fr. pomegrenate (infl. by Sp. granada), so called because the many-seeded fruit suggested the powder-filled, fragmenting bomb, or from similarities of shape. Grenadiers (1676) originally were soldiers "who were dexterous in flinging hand-granados" [Evelyn], from Fr. grenadier; later "the tallest and finest men in the regiment."
grenadine - 1896, from Fr. sirop de grenadin, from M.Fr. grenade "pomegranate."
greyhound - O.E. grighund, from grig- "bitch" + hund "dog" (see hound). The name has nothing to do with color, and most are not gray. The O.N. form of the word is preserved in Hjalti's couplet that almost sparked war between pagans and Christians in early Iceland:
Vilkat goð geyja
grey þykkjumk Freyja
"I will not blaspheme the gods,
but I think Freyja is a bitch"
grid - 1839, shortening of gridiron. First record of gridlock is from 1980.
griddle - 12c., from O.N.Fr. gredil, from L. craticula (see grill).
gridiron - c.1350, griderne, alteration (by association with iron) of gridire, a variant of gridil (see griddle). Confusion of "l" and "r" was common in Norman dialect.
grief - 12c., from O.Fr. grief "wrong, grievance," from grever "afflict," from L. gravare "to cause grief, make heavy," from gravis "weighty." Grievance is 13c., from O.Fr. grevance, from grever; grieve, originally "cause pain," later (early 14c.) "be very sad, lament," is from tonic stem of grever; grievous is from Anglo-Fr. grevous, from O.Fr. grevas, from gref "grief."
griffin, gryphon - 1205, from O.Fr. grifon "a bird of prey," also "fabulous bird of Gk. mythology" (with head and wings of an eagle, body and hind quarters of a lion, believed to inhabit Scythia and guard its gold), from L. gryphus, misspelling of grypus, variant of gryps (gen. grypos), from Gk. gryps (gen. grypos) "curved, hook-nosed," in reference to its beak.
grifter - "confidence trickster," 1915, carnival and circus slang.
grill (n.) - 1685, from Fr. gril, from O.Fr. greil, alteration of graille, from L. craticula "gridiron, small griddle," dim. of cratis "wickerwork." The verb is from 1668; figurative sense from 1842. In many instances, Mod.Eng. grill is a shortened form of grille.
grille - 1661, from Fr. grille (fem.) "grating," from O.Fr. greille "gridiron," from L. craticula "gridiron" (see grill).
grim - O.E. grimm "fierce, cruel," from P.Gmc. *grimmaz, from PIE *ghrem- perhaps imitative of the sound of rumbling thunder. A weaker word now than once it was; sense of "dreary, gloomy" first recorded c.1175. It also had a verb form in O.E., grimman (class III strong verb; past tense gramm, p.p. grummen).
grimace - 1651, from Fr. grimace, from M.Fr. grimache, from O.Fr. grimuche, possibly from Frank. (cf. O.S. grima), from same P.Gmc. root as grim.
grimalkin - 1630, name given to a cat, hence any cat, especially an old she-cat; from gray + Malkin, dim. of fem. proper name Matilda or Maud.
grime - 1590, probably alteration of M.E. grim "dirt, filth," from M.L.G. greme "dirt." The verb was earliest (as M.E. grymen) but was replaced early 16c. by begrime.
grin - O.E. grennian "show the teeth" (in pain or anger), from PIE base *ghrei- "be open." Sense of "bare the teeth in a broad smile" is 15c.
grinch - "spoilsport;" all usages trace to Dr. Seuss' 1957 book "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."
grind - O.E. grindan, forgrindan "destroy by crushing" (class III strong verb; past tense grand, pp. grunden), from P.Gmc. *grindanan, related to ground, from PIE *ghrendh- "crushing." The noun sense "steady, hard work" first recorded 1851; the meaning "hard-working student" is Amer.Eng. slang from 1864.
gringo - 1849, from Mex.Sp. gringo, contemptuous word for "foreigner," from Sp. gringo "foreign, unintelligible talk, gibberish," perhaps ult. from griego "Greek." The "Diccionario Castellano" (1787) says gringo was used in Malaga for "anyone who spoke Spanish badly," and in Madrid for "the Irish."
grip (v.) - O.E. grippan "to grip" (class I strong verb; past tense grap, pp. gripen), The noun developed from fusion of O.E. gripe "grasp, clutch" and gripa "handful, sheaf," both from P.Gmc. *gripjan. Meaning "stage hand" is from 1888.
gripe - O.E. gripan "grasp at, lay hold," from P.Gmc. *gripanan. Figurative sense of "complain, grouse" is c.1932, probably from 17c. sense "gripping pain in the bowels."
grippe - 1776, from Fr. grippe "influenza," originally "seizure," from gripper "to grasp, hook," of Frank. origin (cf. O.S. gripan "to grasp"). The word spread through European languages after the influenza epidemic during the Rus. occupation of Prussia in the Seven Years' War (c.1760).
grisly - O.E. grislic "horrible, dreadful," from grisan "to shudder, fear."
grist - O.E. grist "action of grinding, grain to be ground," related to grindan "to grind."
gristle - O.E. gristle "cartilage," related to grost "gristle," from an unknown W.Gmc. word.
grit - O.E. greot "sand, dust, earth, gravel," from P.Gmc. *greutan "tiny particles of crushed rock," from PIE ghreu- "rub, pound, crush." Sense of "pluck, spirit" first recorded Amer.Eng. 1808.
grits - O.E. grytt (pl. grytta) "coarse meal, groats, grits," from P.Gmc. *grutja-, from the same root as grit, the two words having influenced one another in sound development. In Amer.Eng., corn-based grits and hominy (q.v.) were used interchangeably in Colonial times. Later, hominy meant whole kernels that had been skinned but not ground, but in the U.S. South, hominy meant skinned kernels that could be ground coarsely to make grits. In New Orleans, whole kernels are big hominy and ground kernels little hominy.
grizzled - 1319, from O.Fr. grisel, dim. of gris "gray," from a Frank. source (cf. O.H.G. gris "gray"). The -zz- spelling is c.1425. Grizzly is 1594; grizzly bear (ursus horribilis) is 18c., but belongs rather to grisly.
groan - O.E. granian "to groan, murmur," from P.Gmc. *grain-.
groats - O.E. grot "particle," from same root as grit. The medieval European coin known as a groat is probably from M.Du. groot, eliptical use of adj. meaning "great" (in sense of "thick").
grocer - 1255, from Anglo-Fr. grosser, from M.L. grossarius "wholesaler," lit. "dealer in quantity," from L.L. grossus "coarse (of food), great, gross" (see gross). Sense of "a merchant selling individual items of food" is 16c. Grocery "a grocer's shop" is 1828, Amer.Eng.
grog - 1770, supposedly an allusion to Old Grog, nickname of Edward Vernon (1684-1757), British admiral who wore a grogram cloak and who in 1740 ordered his sailors' rum to be diluted. Hence, groggy (1770).
grogram - 1562, from M.Fr. gros grain "coarse grain or texture."
groin - 1592, from M.E. grynde "groin" (14c.), originally "depression in the ground," from P.Gmc. *grundu; altered 16c. by influence of loin. The harbor structure groin is a different word, from obsolete groin "pig's snout" (because it was thought to look like one), from O.Fr. groin, from L. grunnire "grunt."
grommet - 1626, from Fr. gromette "curb of a bridle," from gourmer "to curb," of uncertain origin. Extended sense of "metal eyelet" first recorded 1769.
groom - M.E. grome "male child, boy, youth," perhaps from O.E. *groma, related to growan "grow," or O.Fr. grommet "servant," or O.N. gromr "man." The fact is, it appeared 13c. and nobody knows from whence. The verb is first attested 1809; the transfered sense is from 1843. Sense of "male servant who attends to horses" is 17c. The wedding groom, short for bridegroom, is c.1600 but from a different word, O.E. guma "man" (see bridegroom).
groove - 1290, from O.N. grod "pit," or M.Du. groeve "furrow, ditch," from P.Gmc. *grobo, related to O.E. græf "ditch" (see grave (n.)). Sense of "long, narrow channel or furrow" is 1659. Groovy is from 1937, from jazz slang phrase in the groove (1932) "performing well." As teen slang for "wonderful," it dates from 1944; popularized 1960s, out of currency by 1980.
grope - O.E. grapian "to feel or handle," related to gripan "grasp at" (see gripe).
gross - c.1347, from O.Fr. gros "big, thick, coarse," from L.L. grossus "thick, coarse (of food or mind)," of obscure origin, not in classical L., and said to be unrelated to Ger. gross "large." Its meaning forked in M.E., to "glaring, flagrant, monstrous" on the one hand and "entire, total, whole" on the other. Meaning "disgusting" is first recorded 1958 in U.S. student slang, from earlier use as an intensifier of unpleasant things (gross stupidity, etc.). Noun sense of "a dozen dozen" is from O.Fr. grosse douzaine "large dozen;" sense of "total profit" (opposed to net) is from 1523.
grotesque - 1603, originally a noun, from M.Fr. crotesque, from It. grottesco, lit. "of a cave," from grotta (see grotto). Used first of paintings found on the walls of basements of Roman ruins; originally "fanciful, fantastic," sense became pejorative after mid-18c. Grotty, slang shortening, had a brief vogue 1964 as part of Liverpool argot popularized by The Beatles.
grotto - 1612, from It. grotta, ult. from L. crypta "vault, cavern," from Gk. krypte "hidden place" (see crypt). Terminal -o may be from its being spelled that way in many translations of Dante's "Divine Comedy."
grouchy - 1895, of uncertain origin, possibly from grutching "complaint, grumbling" (see grudge). Grouch (n.) is a 1900 back-formation.
ground - O.E. grund "foundation, ground, earth," especially "bottom of the sea" (a sense preserved in run aground), from P.Gmc. *grundus, which seems to have meant "deep place." Apparently related to grind (cf. coffee grounds). Sense of "reason, motive" was in M.E.; electrical sense is from 1870. Meaning "deny privileges" is 1940s, originally a punishment meted out to pilots (in which sense it is attested from 1931). Ground-hog is attested from 1843. Groundwork (1550) is originally "the solid base on which a structure is built."
group - 1695, originally an art criticism term, "assemblage of figures or objects in a painting or design," from Fr. groupe "cluster, group," from It. gruppo "group, knot," likely ult. from P.Gmc. *kruppaz "round mass, lump." Extended to "any assemblage" by 1736. The verb is from 1718. Groupie first attested 1967.
grouper - 1697, from Port. garupa, probably of South American Indian origin, perhaps from a word in Tupi.
grouse (n.) - "bird," 1531, grows (pl., used collectively), of unknown origin, possibly from Latin or Welsh.
grouse (v.) - "complain," 1887, British Army slang (first recorded by Kipling), of uncertain origin but perhaps from Fr. dial. groucer, from O.Fr. groucier "to murmur, grumble."
grout - 1587, "thin, fluid mortar," originally "coarse porridge," from O.E. gruta (pl.) "coarse meal," related to O.E. grytta (see grits).
grove - O.E. graf (akin to græafa "thicket"), from P.Gmc. *graibo-.
grovel - 1593, back-formation of M.E. groveling, regarded as a prp. but really an adv., from O.N. grufe "prone" + obsolete adverbial suffix -ling (which survives also as the -long in headlong, sidelong); first element from O.N. a grufu "on proneness." Perhaps related to creep.
grow - O.E. growan (of plants) "to flourish, develop, get bigger" (class VII strong verb; past tense greow, pp. growen), from P.Gmc. *gro- (also root of grass, green). Application to animals and people began in 14c., supplanting O.E. weaxan (see wax (v.)). Grown-up is 14c.; growth is 1557, on model of health, stealth, etc.
growl (v.) - mid-17c., from M.E. grolling "rumbling in the bowels," from O.Fr. grouler "to rumble," said to be from Frank., probably ult. of imitative origin.
grub (v.) - early 14c., from hypothetical O.E. *grubbian, from W.Gmc. *grubbjan, from P.Gmc. *grub- "to dig," base of O.E. grafan (see grave (v.)). The noun sense of "larva" is perhaps from the notion of "digging insect," or from the possibly unrelated M.E. grub "dwarfish fellow." The slang sense of "food" is first recorded 1659, said to be from birds eating grubs, but also often linked with bub "drink." Grubby is pre-1845, from grub (n.) in a sense of "dirty child," who presumably got that way from digging in earth.
grubstreet - 1630, "originally the name of a street in Moorfields in London, much inhabited by writers of small histories, dictionaries, and temporary poems; whence any mean production is called grubstreet." [Johnson]
grudge (v.) - mid-14c., grucchen, from O.Fr. groucher "to murmur, to grumble," of unknown origin. The noun is 15c. from the verb.
gruel - 1199, from O.Fr. gruel, from Frank. (cf. M.Du. grute "coarse meal, malt;" M.H.G. gruz "grain"); gruelling "exhausting, punishing," first recorded 1891, from 18c. slang get one's gruel "receive one's punishment."
gruesome - 1570, from M.E. gruen "feel horror, shudder," possibly from M.Du. gruwen or M.L.G. gruwen "shudder with fear," or from a Scand. source (cf. Dan. grusom "cruel"). One of the many Scottish words popularized in England by Scott's novels.
gruff - 1533, from M.Du. or M.L.G. grof "coarse (in quality), thick, large." Sense of "rough, surly" first recorded c.1690.
grumble - 1586, from M.Du. grommelen "murmur, mutter, grunt," from grommen "to rumble, growl." Imitative, or perhaps akin to grim.
grump - 1727, in humps and grumps "surly remarks," later the grumps "a fit of ill-humor" (1844), then "a person in ill humor" (1900); perhaps an extended sense of grum "morose, surly," which is probably related to Dan. grum "cruel;" or perhaps suggested by grumble, grunt, etc. Grumpy first recorded 1778.
grundyism - from Mrs. Grundy, prudish character in Thomas Moreton's 1798 play "Speed the Plow," play and playwright otherwise forgotten.
grunge, grungy - "slopiness," 1965, Amer.Eng. slang, perhaps a blend of grubby and dingy. The music and fashion style that originated in Seattle is attested from the early 1990s.
grunion - 1917, from Amer.Sp. gruñon "grunting fish," from grunir "to grunt," from L. grunnire, from Gk. gryzein "to grunt," from gry "a grunt."
grunt - O.E. grunnettan, freq. of grunian "to grunt," probably imitative. The noun meaning "infantry" emerged in U.S. military slang during Vietnam War; used since 1900 of various low-level workers. Grunt work first recorded 1977.
gruyère - 1826, from the name of the Swiss town where the cheese is made.
G-string - 1878, gee-string, "loincloth worn by American Indian," originally the string that holds it up, etymology unknown. The spelling with G (1891) is perhaps from influence of violin string tuned to a G. First used of women's attire 1936, with reference to stripteasers.
gu- - since g- followed by a vowel in Eng. usually has a "soft" pronunciation, a silent -u- was sometimes inserted between the g- and the vowel in M.E. to signal hardness, especially in words from Fr.; but this was not done with many Scand. words where hard "g" precedes a vowel (gear, get, give, etc.).
guacamole - 1920, from Amer.Sp. guacamole, from Nahuatl ahuaca-molli, from ahuacatl "avocado" + molli "sauce."
guano - 1604, from Sp. guano "dung," especially of sea-birds on islands off Peru, from Quechua huanu "dung." Guanine, named 1850, so called because first isolated from guano.
guarantee (n.) - c.1436, from O.Fr. guarantie, pp. of fem. guarantir "to protect," from guarant "warrant," from Frank. *warjand-s (Gmc. -w- becomes -gu- in Romance languages). Originally "Something given as security," sense shifted to the "pledge" itself (which is properly a guarranty) in 1600s. The verb is attested from 1820. O.N.Fr. preserved the Frankish -w-, and Eng. eventually borrowed both forms, hence guarantee/warranty on the same pattern that gave guard/ward.
guard (n.) - c.1400, from M.Fr. garde "guardian, warden, keeper," from garder "to guard," from O.Fr. guarder, from Frank. *wardon, from P.Gmc. *warthon. Originally abstract or collective (bodyguard); the verb is mid-15c., from the noun. Guardian (M.E.) is from Anglo-Fr. gardein, from O.Fr. gardien, earlier guarden, from Frank. *warding-.
guava - 1555, from Sp. guaya, variant of guayaba, from Arawakan (W. Indies) guayabo "guava tree."
gubernatorial - 1734, formed in Amer.Eng. from L. gubernator (see governor).
gudgeon - early 15c., from M.Fr. goujon, from O.Fr. gojon, from L. gobionem (nom. gobio), alt. of gobius, from Gk. kobios, a kind of fish.
Guelph - 1579, from It. Guelfo, from O.H.G. Welf, name of a princely family that became the ducal house of Brunswick, lit. "whelp." One of the two great parties in medieval It. politics, characterized by support of the popes against the emperors (opposed to the Ghibellines).
Guernsey - breed of cattle, 1834, from the Channel Island where it was bred; the island name is Viking.
guerrilla - 1809, from Sp. guerrilla "body of skirmishers, skirmishing warfare," lit. "little war," dim. of guerra "war," from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. werra "strife, conflict, war"). Acquired by Eng. during the Peninsular War (1808-1814), purists failed in their attempt to keep this word from taking on the sense properly belonging to guerrillero "guerrilla fighter."
guess (v.) - c.1303, gessen "to estimate, appraise," originally "take aim," probably from Scand. (cf. Middle Danish gitse, getze "to guess," O.N. geta "guess, get"), possibly infl. by M.Du. gessen, M.L.G. gissen "to guess," all from P.Gmc. *getiskanan "to get." Sense evolution is from "to get," to "to take aim at," to "to estimate." U.S. sense of "calculate, recon" is true to the oldest Eng. meaning. Spelling with gu- is late 16c., sometimes attributed to Caxton and his early experience as a printer in Bruges. Guesswork is from 1725. Guesstimate is 1934, coined by statisticians, blending guess and estimate.
guest - O.E. gæst, giest (Anglian gest) "guest, enemy," the common notion being "stranger," from P.Gmc. *gastiz, from PIE base *ghostis "strange." Spelling evolution infl. by O.N. gestr (the usual sound changes from the O.E. word would have yielded Mod.Eng. *yest).
guffaw - 1720, Scot., probably imitative of the sound of coarse laughter.
guide (v.) - c.1380, from O.Fr. guider, from Frank. *witan "show the way," from P.Gmc. *wit- "to know;" the Fr. word infl. by O.Prov. guidar, from the same source. Guidance is 16c., replacing 15c. guying.
guidon - 1548, from M.Fr., from It. guidone "battle standard," from guidare "to direct, guide," from O.Prov. guidar (see guide).
guild - c.1230, yilde (spelling later infl. by O.N. gildi), a semantic fusion of O.E. gegyld "guild" and gild, gyld "payment, tribute, compensation," from P.Gmc. *gelth- "pay." The connecting sense is of a tribute or payment to join a protective or trade society.
guile - c.1150, from O.Fr. guile, from Frank. *wigila "trick, ruse" (cf. O.Fris. wigila "sorcery, witchcraft," and O.E. wil "trick," see wile).
guillotine - 1793, in allusion to Joseph Guillotin, Fr. physician, who as deputy to the National Assembly (1789) proposed, for humanitarian and efficiency reasons, that capital punishment be by beheading quickly and cleanly on a machine, which was built in 1791 and first used the next year.
guilt - O.E. gylt "crime, sin, fault, fine," of unknown origin, though some suspect a connection to O.E. gieldan "to pay for, debt." Guilty is from O.E. gyltig, from gylt.
guinea - the former British coin, 1664, from Guinea, region along the west coast of Africa, presumably from an African word, the 20-shilling coins so called because they were first minted for British trade with Guinea (but soon in domestic use) and with gold from Africa. The Guinea hen (16c.) is a domestic fowl imported from there; the Guinea pig is native to South America and is so called either because it was first brought back to Britain aboard Guinea-men, ships that plied the triangle trade between England, Guinea, and South America; or from confusion of Guinea with the South American region of Guyana. Guinea pig in extended sense of "one subjected to an experiment" first recorded 1920. Guinea "derogatory term for Italian" (by 1896) was originally Guinea Negro (1740s) and meant "black person, person of mixed ancestry." It was applied to Italians c.1890 probably because of their dark complexions relative to northern Europeans, and after 1911 was occasionally applied to Hispanics and Pacific Islanders as well.
guise - 13c., from O.Fr. guise, from Frank. (cf. O.H.G. wisa "manner, wise").
guitar - 1621, ult. from Gk. kithara "cithara," a stringed musical instrument related to the lyre; the name reached Eng. several times, including early 14c. giterne, for stringed, guitar-like instruments; the modern word is from Sp. guittara, from Ar. qitar, from the Gk.
gulch - 1832, Amer.Eng., perhaps from obsolete or dial. Eng. gulsh "sink in" (of land), "gush out" (of water), from M.E. gulchen "to gush forth, to drink greedily."
gulf - c.1380, from O.Fr. golfe "a gulf, whirlpool," from It. golfo "a gulf, a bay," from L.L. colfos, from Gk. kolpos "bay, gulf," earlier "trough between waves, fold of a garment," originally "bosom," the common notion being "curved shape." L. sinus underwent the same development, being used first for "bosom," later for "gulf." Replaced O.E. sæ-earm. The Gulf stream (1775) takes its name from the Gulf of Mexico.
gull - early 15c., probably from Brythonic Celtic, cf. Welsh gwylan "gull," Cornish guilan, Breton goelann; all from O.Celt. *voilenno-. Replaced O.E. mæw.
gullet - 1305, from O.Fr. goulet, dim. of goule "throat, neck," from L. gula "throat," from PIE base *gel- "swallow."
gullible - 1793, of uncertain origin. Gull was a cant term for "dupe, sucker" (1594), perhaps from the bird, or from 16c. gull "to swallow" (from O.Fr. goule, from L. gula "throat"); in either case with a sense of "someone who will swallow anything thrown at him." Another possibility is 14c. dial. gull "newly hatched bird," perhaps from O.N. golr "yellow," from the hue of its down.
Gulliver - proper name, from O.Fr. goulafre "glutton," a very common name, found as a surname in Domesday Book (William Gulafra).
gully - 1538, possibly a variant of M.E. golet "water channel," from O.Fr. goulet (see gullet).
gulp - 1530, from Flem. gulpe or Du. gulpen "to gush, pour forth, guzzle, swallow," possibly of imitative origin.
gum (1) - "resin," early 14c., from O.Fr. gomme, from L.L. gumma, from L. gummi, from Gk. kommi "gum," from Egyptian kemai. As a shortened form of chewing gum, first attested 1842 in Amer.Eng.; gumshoe "plainclothes detective" is from 1906, from the rubber-soled shoes they wore.
gum (2) - "membranes of the mouth," from O.E. goma "palate."
gumbo - 1805, from Louisiana Fr., probably ult. from Central Bantu dialect (cf. Mbundu ngombo "okra").
gumption - 1719, Scottish, possibly connected with M.E. gome "attention, heed," from O.N. gaumr "heed." Originally "common sense, shrewdness," sense of "initiative" is first recorded 1812.
gun - 13c., gunne "an engine of war that throws rocks, arrows or other missiles," probably a shortening of woman's name Gunilda, found in M.E. gonnilde "cannon" and in an Anglo-L. reference to a specific gun from a 1330 munitions inventory of Windsor Castle ("...una magna balista de cornu quae Domina Gunilda ..."), from O.N. Gunnhildr, woman's name (from gunnr + hildr, both meaning "war, battle"); the identification of women with powerful weapons is common historically (cf. Big Bertha, Brown Bess, etc.); meaning shifted with technology, from cannons to firearms as they developed 15c. First applied to revolvers c.1875. Meaning "thief, rascal" is from 1858. Gun-shy is 1884, originally of sporting dogs. Gunwale is 1466, from gun + wale "plank," formerly used to support the guns; son of a gun is also nautical. Gun Moll (1908) "female criminal" (second element from nickname of Mary, used of disreputable females since early 1600s) belongs to slang gonif "thief" (1885), from Yiddish, from Heb. gannabh "thief."
gung ho - 1942, slang motto of Carlson's Raiders, (2nd Marine Raider Battalion, under Lt. Col. Evans Carlson), U.S. guerrilla unit operating in the Pacific in World War II, from Chinese kung ho "work together, cooperate." Widely adopted in Amer.Eng. c.1959.
gunk - 1949, Amer.Eng., apparently from Gunk, trademark for a thick liquid soap patented 1932.
gunny - 1711, Anglo-Indian goney "coarse fabric," from Hindi goni, from Skt. goni "sack."
guppy - 1925, named for J.L. Guppy, who supplied the first specimen (1866) to the British Museum. The family name is from a place in Dorset.
gurgle - early 15c. as a medical term for gurgling heard in the abdomen, from M.L. gurgulationem (nom. gurgulatio), of imitative origin. Extended (non-anatomical) use is 18c.
guru - 1800, gooroo, from Hindi guru "teacher, priest," from Skt. guru-s "one to be honored, teacher;" generalized sense of "mentor" is from 1940; sense of "expert in something" first recorded c.1966 in Canadian Eng.
gush - 12c., gosshien "make noises in the stomach," later (c.1400) "rush out suddenly, pour out," probably formed in Eng. under infl. of O.N. gusa "to gush, spurt," related to geyser. Metaphoric sense of "speak in an effusive manner" first recorded 1873.
gussy - 1952, Amer.Eng. slang, apparently from Gussy (1940), name for an overly dressed person, perhaps related to gussie (1901) "effeminate man," and somehow connected to the nickname for Augusta and Augustus.
gust - 1588, possibly from O.N. gustr "a cold blast of wind," or O.H.G. gussa "flood," both from P.Gmc. *gustiz, from PIE *gheus-, from root *gheu- "to pour." Probably originally in Eng. as a nautical term.
gustatory - 1684, from L. gustatus, pp. of gustare "to taste."
gusto - 1629, from It. gusto "taste," from L. gustus "a tasting," related to gustare "to taste."
gut - O.E. guttas (pl.) "bowels, entrails," related to geotan "to pour," from PIE *gh(e)u- "pour." Meaning "easy college course" is student slang from 1916, probably from obsolete slang sense of "feast" (the connecting notion is "something that one can eat up"). Sense of "inside contents of anything" (usually pl.) is from 1580. Figurative pl. guts "spirit, courage," first recorded 1893; hence gutless "cowardly" (1915). Gut reaction is 1963, probably a back-formation from gutsy (1936) "tough, plucky."
gutta-percha - 1845, from Malay getah percha, lit. "the gum of percha, the name of the tree.
gutter (n.) - 1280, Anglo-Norman gotere, from O.Fr. guitere, from goute "a drop." Originally "a watercourse," later "furrow made by running water" (1586). Figurative sense of "low, profane" is from 1846; gutter-snipe is from 1869. The verb, of candles, refers to the channel that forms on the side as it burns down.
guttural - 1594, from M.Fr. guttural, from L. guttur "throat."
guy (1) - "rope, chain, wire," mid-14c., from O.Fr. guie "a guide," from guier (see guide); or from a similar word in Low Ger.
guy (2) - "fellow," 1847, earlier (1836) "grotesquely or poorly dressed person," originally (1806) "effigy of Guy Fawkes," leader of the Gunpowder Plot to blow up British king and Parliament (Nov. 5, 1605).
guyot - "flat-topped submarine mountain," named for U.S. geologist Arnold Guyot (1807-84).
guzzle - 1576, probably related to Fr. goiser "throat," or imitative of the sound of guzzling.
gymnasium - 1598, from L. gymnasium "school for gymnastics," from Gk. gymnasion, from gymnazein "to exercise or train," lit. "to train naked," from gymnos "naked." Introduced to Ger. 15c. as a name for "high school," in Eng. it has remained purely athletic. Gymnast (1594) in the modern sense is a back-formation of gymnastic, (1574) from Gk. gynmastikos "pertaining to or skilled in bodily exercise."
gymnosperm - 1830, from Fr. gymnosperme, from Gk. gymnos "naked" + sperma "seed."
gynecology - 1847, from Fr. gynécologie, from Gk. gynaik-, comb. form of gyne "woman" (from PIE *gwen-) + Fr. -logie "study of."
gyp - 1889, Amer.Eng., probably short for Gypsy.
gypsum - mid-14c., from L. gypsum, from Gk. gypsos "chalk," probably of Sem. origin (cf. Ar. jibs, Heb. gephes "plaster").
Gypsy - 1600, alteration of gypcian, a worn-down M.E. dial. form of egypcien "Egyptian," from the supposed origin of these people. Cognate with Sp. Gitano, but in M.Fr. they were Bohémien, and in Sp. also Flamenco "from Flanders." "The gipsies seem doomed to be associated with countries with which they have nothing to do" [Weekley]. Zingari, the It. and Ger. name, is of unknown origin. Romany is from the people's own language, a pl. adj. form of rom "man." Gipsy is the prefered spelling in England.
gyration - 1615, from L.L. gyratum, pp. of gyrare, from L. gyrus "circle," from Gk. gyros, related to gyros "rounded." Gyrate (v.) is an 1822 back-formation.
gyrfalcon - 1209, from O.Fr. gerfauc, first element from Gmc. (cf. O.H.G. gir "vulture") + L. falco "hawk."
gyromancy - 1557, from M.L. gyromantia, from Gk. gyyros "circle" + manteia "divination, oracle." "A method of divination by walking in a circle till the person fell down from dizziness, the inference being drawn from the place in the circle at which he fell."
gyroscope - 1856, invented and named in Fr. 1852 by Foucault, from Gk. gyros "circle" + skopos "watcher," because the device demonstrates that the earth rotates.