gutter

1 of 3

noun

gut·​ter ˈgə-tər 

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

gutter

2 of 3

verb

guttered; guttering; gutters

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

gutter

3 of 3

adjective

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the gutter

especially : marked by extreme vulgarity, cheapness, or indecency

gutter politics

Synonyms

Noun

• trough
• drain
• drainpipe
• aqueduct

Adjective

• vulgar
• pornographic
• obscene
• foul
• dirty
• filthy
• nasty
• blue
• gross

Examples of gutter in a Sentence

Noun

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

Adjective

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Clean gutters regularly so water flows away from your house and doesn’t back up into the soffits and under the roofline. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 30 June 2025

According to specifications provided by INDOT, the roundabout will consist of a 140-foot diameter roundabout with one 19-foot circulatory travel lane bordered by concrete curb and gutter and a 15-foot truck apron. —Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025

Verb

Like guttering candles, the rebellion spent itself in uncoordinated risings at different times in different parts of the country. —Joseph Patrick Kelly, The Conversation, 20 May 2025

There's even a sloping slate roof above the lockers and artificial lead guttering above that. —Caroline Reid, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing gutter

• gutter out
• gutter press
• the gutter

Rhymes for gutter

• butter
• clutter
• cutter
• flutter
• mutter
• nutter
• putter
• rutter
• shutter
• sputter
• stutter
• utter

Kids Definition

gutter

1 of 2 noun

gut·​ter ˈgət-ər 

1

a

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

b

: a low area (as at a roadside) to carry off surface water

2

: a narrow channel or groove

gutter

2 of 2 verb

1

: to form gutters in

2

a

: to flow in small streams

b

: to melt away by having wax stream down in channels

a guttering candle

3

: to flicker in a draft

Medical Definition

gutter

noun

gut·​ter ˈgət-ər 

: 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)