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

Boiseans use 65 million gallons of Veolia water per day to irrigate their lawns during the summer, according to an estimate from the utility. — Idaho Statesman, 1 July 2026

Kids might be more entranced by the family-friendly Resort Pool and Winding River, the activities at the Reef Rangers Club, and the 500,000-gallon Under the Sea Lagoon that’s home to stingrays, reef fish, and Aldabra tortoises. — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 30 June 2026

According to California’s Energy Commission, the state’s various taxes and environmental levies account for roughly 20% of the total price for a gallon of gas. — Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Members can save 50 cents per gallon at BP, Amoco, and participating ampm and Thorntons gas stations between July 2 and July 5, Amazon said in a press release Tuesday. — Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 30 June 2026

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