gore

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈgȯr 

1

: a small usually triangular piece of land

2

a

: a tapering or triangular piece (as of cloth in a skirt)

b

: an elastic gusset for providing a snug fit in a shoe

gore

2 of 4

verb (1)

gored; goring

transitive verb

1

: to cut into a tapering triangular form

2

: to provide with a gore

gore

3 of 4

verb (2)

gored; goring

transitive verb

: to pierce or wound with something pointed (such as a horn or knife)

gored by a bull

gore

4 of 4

noun (2)

1

: blood

especially : clotted blood

2

: gruesomeness depicted in vivid detail

Synonyms

Verb (2)

• stab
• puncture
• pierce
• jab
• stick
• pick
• spit

Examples of gore in a Sentence

Verb (2)

running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, may sound like fun, but the bulls have been known to gore runners who get too close

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Ignore all the gore and death, and Squid Game might as well have been a show for children. —Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 27 June 2025

The final product is an unpredictable, wild ride full of suspense, fun, and classic horror gore. —Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 26 June 2025

Verb

Although no one was injured in this instance, earlier this week, a man was gored by a bison at the park after a group of tourists encroached on its space, as reported by The Associated Press. —Emma Marsden, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025

Bison snaps at Yellowstone tourist who got too close A Yellowstone tourist was nearly gored by a bison earlier this month after trying to pet it. —Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 11 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English gāra; akin to Old English gār spear, and perhaps to Greek chaion shepherd's staff

Verb (2)

Middle English, probably from gore spear, sword, from Old English gār spear

Noun (2)

Middle English, filth, from Old English gor

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1563, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for gore

• boar
• boer
• bore
• chore
• cor
• core
• corps
• crore
• door
• drawer
• floor
• flor

Kids Definition

gore

1 of 4 noun

ˈgō(ə)r 

ˈgȯ(ə)r

: a tapering or triangular piece of cloth (as in a skirt)

gore

2 of 4 verb

gored; goring

1

: to cut into a tapering triangular form

2

: to provide with a gore

gore

3 of 4 verb

gored; goring

: to pierce or wound with something pointed (as a tusk or horn)

gore

4 of 4 noun

1

: blood entry 1 sense 1a

especially : clotted blood

2

: violent or bloody images

Etymology

Noun

Old English gāre "triangular piece of land"

Verb

Middle English goren "pierce, gore"

Noun

Old English gor "filth"

Biographical Definition

Gore

biographical name

ˈgȯr 

Albert, Jr. 1948–     American politician and environmentalist; vice president of the U.S. (1993–2001)