gesticulate

verb

ges·​tic·​u·​late je-ˈsti-kyə-ˌlāt 

gesticulated; gesticulating

intransitive verb

: to make gestures especially when speaking

arguing and gesticulating wildly

gesticulative

je-ˈsti-kyə-ˌlā-tiv 

adjective

gesticulator

je-ˈsti-kyə-ˌlā-tər 

noun

gesticulatory

je-ˈsti-kyə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē 

adjective

Examples of gesticulate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Brown began to gesticulate, his arms rising and falling in exasperation. —Malcolm Gladwell, New Yorker, 2 June 2025

And then the camera found him: a lone Laker fan, standing still amid waves of joyful jumping and gesticulating, wearing a yellow jersey and a purple Lakers hat. —Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2025

His franticly gesticulating Iago is a force of nature, and the Tony nominee (for 2021’a Sea Wall/A Life) showcases his character’s charm, cunning, and spite in equally emphatic measure. —Dalton Ross, EW.com, 24 Mar. 2025

On benches beneath a massive palm tree, a group of older gentlemen talked and gesticulated, umbrellas propped between their knees. —Gina Decaprio Vercesi, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin gesticulatus, past participle of gesticulari, from *gesticulus, diminutive of gestus — see gesture entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1609, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gesticulate

• apiculate
• denticulate
• geniculate
• particulate
• reticulate
• inarticulate

Kids Definition

gesticulate

verb

ges·​tic·​u·​late je-ˈstik-yə-ˌlāt 

gesticulated; gesticulating

: to make gestures especially when speaking

gesticulation

-ˌstik-yə-ˈlā-shən

noun