gorget

noun

gor·​get ˈgȯr-jət 

1

: a piece of armor protecting the throat see armor illustration

2

a

: an ornamental collar

b

: a part of a wimple covering the throat and shoulders

c

: a specially colored patch on the throat

especially : a bright patch of feathers on the throat of a bird and especially a hummingbird

Examples of gorget in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But while the modern versions of those instruments are nothing to sneeze at, consider the surgical knives, gorgets, and trepans of centuries past. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026

The most prominent identifying feature of the male Costa’s is the purple iridescent neck feathers, known as a gorget, which extend widely out on each side, like an old cowboy moustache. — Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2025

Lithotomy set To remove a kidney stone, a physician would insert a slender lithotomy forceps, sometimes with a gorget, through the urethra to crush the stone, then use a scoop to extract the debris. — Will McCarthy, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2023

The feathers on the gorget are iridescent, and their color changes depending on how the sunlight is hitting them. — BostonGlobe.com, 17 June 2021

Shell cups, throat coverings called gorgets, and beads in a variety of shapes were worn as jewelry or sewn onto clothing. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, 5 Nov. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from gorge

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for gorget

• foregut

Medical Definition

gorget

noun

gor·​get ˈgȯr-jət 

: a grooved instrument used especially formerly to guide the direction of surgical incision in lithotomy