gallon

noun

gal·​lon ˈga-lən 

: a unit of liquid capacity equal to 231 cubic inches or four quarts see Weights and Measures Table

Examples of gallon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The sales tax rate is separate from the 35 cents/gallon gasoline tax—by law, the gasoline tax goes up by 1 cent every July 1, which means that starting this July, the tax will be 36 cents/gallon. —Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025

Despite its hybrid setup, the large SUV achieves only 19 miles per gallon in city driving and 22 mpg on the highway. —James Raia, Mercury News, 16 June 2025

Gas stations are only allowing 25 liters, about 5 and a half gallons, of fuel at each visit. —Nbc News, NBC news, 15 June 2025

Proceeds from this year’s sale of 500 gallons will go right back into the school, funding scholarships to support future winemakers at the university, Montpetit said. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English galun, galoun, galon, a liquid measure, borrowed from Anglo-French galun, galon, jalon, from Old French jal-, base of jaloie "container for liquids, bucket" (going back to Vulgar Latin *gallēta, of uncertain origin) + -on, diminutive or particularizing suffix, going back to Latin -ō, -ōn-, suffix of persons with a prominent feature

Note: Presumed *gallēta (attested as Medieval Latin galeta "wine vessel, liquid measure" in 11th-century texts) has been linked to several classical Greek words for containers, as kálathos "kind of basket, wine cooler," kēlástra "milk pail" (so glossed by Hesychius), though none of these fit formally; on the other hand, kēlḗtēs, kalḗtēs "sufferer from a hernia" (from kḗlē, kálē "tumor, hernia"; see -cele) fits formally but requires a contextual and semantic leap ("one swollen or ruptured" > "container"?).

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing gallon

• ten-gallon hat

Rhymes for gallon

• alan
• ballon
• talon
• concanavalin
• enkephalin
• trifluralin

Kids Definition

gallon

noun

gal·​lon ˈgal-ən 

: a unit of liquid capacity equal to 231 cubic inches or four quarts see measure

Medical Definition

gallon

noun

gal·​lon ˈgal-ən 

1

: a United States unit of liquid capacity equal to four quarts or 231 cubic inches or 3.785 liters

2

: a British unit of liquid and dry capacity equal to four quarts or 277.42 cubic inches or 4.544 liters

called also imperial gallon