gutter

noun gut·ter \ ˈgə-tər \

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

Definition of gutter

1 a : a trough along the eaves to catch and carry off rainwater

b : a low area (as at the edge of a street) to carry off surface water (as to a sewer)

c : a trough or groove to catch and direct something

the gutters of a bowling alley

2 : a white space formed by the adjoining inside margins of two facing pages (as of a book)

3 : the lowest or most vulgar level or condition of human life

See gutter defined for English-language learners

See gutter defined for kids

Examples of gutter in a Sentence

one of his chores is to clean leaves and sticks out of the gutters before winter sets in
rainwater running off the road into the gutters

Recent Examples of gutter from the Web

Outside the buildings, the ground was littered with cigarette butts, candy wrappers, broken glass, and whatever else was blown up from the gutters or thrown out of the windows.

— michael a. gonzales, The Root, "Roses," 25 Mar. 2018
That’s an egregious dodge of responsibility, considering the gutter politics LaHood embraced in the last week of his campaign — in hindsight, likely a sign of desperation.

— brian chasnoff, San Antonio Express-News, "For LaHood, pride came before the fall," 6 Mar. 2018
After snow and ice knocked gutters down from a commercial building onto the sidewalk a man moved them out of the way 2:25 p.m. Feb. 11.

— joan rusek, cleveland.com, "Residents report credit card and Facebook identity theft: Chagrin Falls police blotter," 15 Feb. 2018
There will be drainage improvements, new curbs and gutters, bus shelters and traffic signal upgrades.

— wayne k. roustan, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Rush hour relief: New Broward Boulevard bridge opening Thursday," 23 Mar. 2018
Some of them were blown down the concrete sidewalk with fire hoses, blown like trash into the gutters of the city.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "American Students Have Simple Demands," 14 Mar. 2018
The roofs of the headquarters and a few of the neighboring buildings are outfitted with large gutters that collect and distribute rainwater to a 7,300-gallon cistern on the eighth floor of the Etsy building.

— caroline biggs, New York Times, "Plant-Loving Millennials at Home and at Work," 9 Mar. 2018
Along with the roundabout curbs, gutters, lighting and storm sewers will be added.

— sue kiesewetter, Cincinnati.com, "Roundabout will help traffic flow at West Chester intersection," 27 Feb. 2018
Hemenway devised steeply pitched roofs with cedar shingles and copper gutters and downspouts.

— janet eastman, OregonLive.com, "$2 million surge in 2 years: Wiederhorn's foreclosed mansion sells for $4 million (photos)," 26 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gutter.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of gutter

Middle English goter, from Anglo-French gutere, goter, from gute drop, from Latin gutta

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First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

gutter Synonyms

Synonyms

drainpipe, eaves trough, rainspout, spout, trough, waterspout;

Related Words

drain, flume, sluice;

conduit, duct;

aqueduct;

Other Building Terms

batten, cistern, hearth, lath, transom, wainscot

gutter

verb

Definition of gutter

transitive verb

1 : to cut or wear gutters in

2 : to provide with a gutter

intransitive verb

1 a : to flow in rivulets

b of a candle : to melt away through a channel out of the side of the cup hollowed out by the burning wick

2 : to incline downward in a draft

the candle flame guttering

Recent Examples of gutter from the Web

The flame of Indian paleontology may be guttering, but a few recent developments have buoyed spirits.

— sanjay kumar, Science | AAAS, "India’s paleontologists fight destruction of its fossil riches," 4 Apr. 2018
Is the spirit of man extinguished at death like a candle guttered by a passing wind?

— pioneer press editorial board, Twin Cities, "An Easter homily," 16 Apr. 2017
That sum would pay partially for street repaving, major bridge rehabilitation, and curb and gutter rehabilitation — all part of the Department of Public Works’ nearly $227 million bond request for deferred maintenance.

— jon murray, The Denver Post, "Backlog of repairs may weigh down Denver’s fall bond measures, pushing out new projects," 15 May 2017

First Known Use of gutter

14th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

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gutter

adjective

Definition of gutter

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the gutter; especially : marked by extreme vulgarity, cheapness, or indecency

gutter politics

See gutter defined for English-language learners

Examples of gutter in a Sentence

a novel that does a good job of rendering the gutter language of that stratum of society

First Known Use of gutter

15th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

GUTTER Defined for English Language Learners

gutter

noun

Definition of gutter for English Language Learners

: a long, hollow device that is attached to the edges of a roof to catch rain and carry it away from a building
: a low area at the side of a road that is used to catch water and carry it away from the road
: a long, narrow low section along the sides of a bowling lane

gutter

adjective

Definition of gutter for English Language Learners

: of the worst kind : offensive or immoral

GUTTER Defined for Kids

gutter

noun gut·ter \ ˈgə-tər \

Definition of gutter for Students

1 : a trough along the eaves of a house to catch and carry off water

2 : a low area (as at the side of a road) to carry off surface water

Medical Dictionary

gutter

noun gut·ter \ ˈgət-ər \

medical Definition of gutter

: a depressed furrow between body parts (as on the surface between a pair of adjacent ribs or in the dorsal wall of the body cavity on either side of the spinal column)