gavel

1 of 3

noun (1)

gav·​el ˈga-vəl 

: rent or tribute in medieval England

gavel

2 of 3

noun (2)

: a mallet used (as by a presiding officer or auctioneer) for commanding attention or confirming an action (such as a vote or sale)

gavel

3 of 3

verb

gaveled or gavelled; gaveling or gavelling ˈga-v(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

: to bring or force by use of a gavel

gaveled the audience to silence

Examples of gavel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The American people deserve a Congress that fights for them, regardless of who holds the gavel. —Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026

The mural depicted a wigged judge attacking a protester with his gavel. —Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 2 May 2026

Verb

Lawmakers are meeting in committees during the interim committee hearing in Austin, conducting hearings and reviews of laws implemented last year and seeking information ahead of the 90th Texas Legislature, which gavels in January 2027. —Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 12 May 2026

Legislators' goal is to get the bill approved and sent to Beshear by the end of the month, so any vetoes from the governor can be overridden when lawmakers gavel back in briefly in mid-April. —Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal, 18 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English gafol; akin to Old English giefan to give

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1835, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1925, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing gavel

• gavel-to-gavel

Rhymes for gavel

• caval
• cavil
• gravel
• travel
• unravel

Kids Definition

gavel

noun

gav·​el

ˈgav-əl

: the mallet of an officer in charge of a meeting or of an auctioneer