gauntlet

1 of 2

noun (1)

gaunt·​let ˈgȯnt-lət How to pronounce gauntlet (audio)
ˈgänt-
variants or less commonly gantlet
1
: a glove worn with medieval armor to protect the hand
2
: any of various protective gloves used especially in industry
3
: an open challenge (as to combat)
used in phrases like throw down the gauntlet
4
: a dress glove extending above the wrist
gauntleted adjective

gauntlet

2 of 2

noun (2)

variants or less commonly gantlet
1
a
: a double file of men facing each other and armed with clubs or other weapons with which to strike at an individual who is made to run between them
used with run
b
: a line, series, or assemblage
especially : one that poses some sort of ordeal
a gauntlet of autograph-seekers
2
: a severe trial : ordeal
ran the gauntlet of criticism and censure

Did you know?

There’s no reason to treat the word gauntlet with kid gloves, so let’s go straight to the punch: gauntlet (which comes from the Middle French word gantelet, the diminutive of gant, meaning “glove”) first referred to the reinforced glove of a suit of armor, but today it’s mostly encountered in figurative phrases, such as “throw down the gauntlet” and “pick up the gauntlet,” that arose from the conventions of medieval combat. To challenge someone to combat, a knight would throw his glove at another knight’s feet. The second knight would pick the glove up if he intended to accept the challenge, in which case a jousting match might ensue. Accordingly, to throw down the gauntlet is to issue an open challenge, while to pick up the gauntlet is to accept one. (The gauntlet that means “severe trial,” or “ordeal,” often used in the phrase “run the gauntlet,” is an alteration of gantelope, a word that originates from Swedish gata, meaning “lane” or “way.”)

Examples of gauntlet in a Sentence

Noun (2) before being adopted, school textbooks must often run the gauntlet of several local and state committees
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
By keeping the narrative in the present tense, Eisenberg throws down a cinematic gauntlet, of bringing history to life in the present tense, photographically and dramatically. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024 Of the first 48 hits Houston accumulated during this seven-game gauntlet, 37 were singles. Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 28 Aug. 2024 In western Canada, the Woolies Pro Tech Crew top and bottom survived a gauntlet of winter smokejumper firefighter training sessions with little fuss—or stink. Outside Editors, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024 The singer’s pastel set, which came with matching gauntlets and cowboy boots, channeled vintage pin-up models. Hannah Malach, WWD, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for gauntlet 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Middle French gantelet, diminutive of gant glove, from Old French, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch want glove, Old Norse vǫttr

Noun (2)

altered from gantelope, apparently by assimilation to gauntlet entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1645, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of gauntlet was in the 15th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near gauntlet

Cite this Entry

“Gauntlet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gauntlet. Accessed 8 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

gauntlet

1 of 2 noun
gaunt·​let ˈgȯnt-lət How to pronounce gauntlet (audio)
ˈgänt-
1
: a protective glove worn with a suit of armor
2
: a protective glove used in industry
3
: an open challenge
used in phrases like throw down the gauntlet
gauntleted adjective

gauntlet

2 of 2 noun
variants also gantlet
1
: a double file of men armed with weapons (as clubs) with which to strike at a person who is made to run between them
2
: a severe test or experience

More from Merriam-Webster on gauntlet

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!