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 plane can take off weighing in at a maximum 633,000 pounds and carrying more than 38,000 gallons of fuel, according to Boeing, which bought McDonnell Douglass. —Amanda Jackson, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025

But over the last month, fuel costs trended downward, with gas prices hovering near the $3-per-gallon price point by the end of October, according to AAA. —Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2025

Each fan may carry one clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bag no larger than 12 by 12 by 6 inches or a clear plastic freezer bag no larger than one gallon. —Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 4 Nov. 2025

Currently, the environmental cost of traditional cotton is high, as producing just a single T-shirt and a pair of jeans requires up to 2,642 gallons of water. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 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