plural gutters
1
a
: a long, hollow device that is attached to the edges of a roof to catch rain and carry it away from a building
b
: a low area at the side of a road that is used to catch water and carry it away from the road
2
: a long, narrow low section along the sides of a bowling lane
3
a
: the lowest or poorest conditions of human life
He squandered all his money and wound up in the gutter. [=a state of severe poverty]
b
US, informal
—used to refer in usually a joking way to thoughts that relate to sex
Get your mind out of the gutter. [=stop thinking that everything relates to sex]
always used before a noun
: of the worst kind : offensive or immoral
gutter language
gutter politics
(Brit) the gutter press [=newspapers that print shocking stories about the personal lives of people]
Cite this Entry
“Gutter.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/gutter. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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