gallon

noun

gal·​lon ˈga-lən 

: a unit of liquid capacity equal to 231 cubic inches or four quarts see Weights and Measures Table

Examples of gallon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

November 2010 – Construction begins on project to update the pool, prone to leaking, holding stagnant water and taking nearly 20 to 30 million gallons of city water a year to refill. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 23 June 2026

Using the algorithm, station owners inflated gasoline by as much as 22 cents a gallon and diesel by 33 cents, on top of already high prices caused by the US war with Iran, the plaintiffs alleged. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 23 June 2026

The hollow fiber filter physically removes bacteria and protozoa that cause diseases, as well as dirt and microplastics, and has a lifespan of 4,000 liters (1,000 gallons). — Brad Bourque, The Verge, 23 June 2026

With the national average price of gasoline now below $4 per gallon and Pennsylvania just over $4 per gallon, De Haan said there's room for movement locally. — John Shumway, CBS News, 23 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English galun, galoun, galon, a liquid measure, borrowed from Anglo-French galun, galon, jalon, from Old French jal-, base of jaloie "container for liquids, bucket" (going back to Vulgar Latin *gallēta, of uncertain origin) + -on, diminutive or particularizing suffix, going back to Latin -ō, -ōn-, suffix of persons with a prominent feature

Note: Presumed *gallēta (attested as Medieval Latin galeta "wine vessel, liquid measure" in 11th-century texts) has been linked to several classical Greek words for containers, as kálathos "kind of basket, wine cooler," kēlástra "milk pail" (so glossed by Hesychius), though none of these fit formally; on the other hand, kēlḗtēs, kalḗtēs "sufferer from a hernia" (from kḗlē, kálē "tumor, hernia"; see -cele) fits formally but requires a contextual and semantic leap ("one swollen or ruptured" > "container"?).

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing gallon

• ten-gallon hat

Rhymes for gallon

• alan
• ballon
• talon
• concanavalin
• enkephalin
• trifluralin

Kids Definition

gallon

noun

gal·​lon ˈgal-ən 

: a unit of liquid capacity equal to 231 cubic inches or four quarts see measure

Medical Definition

gallon

noun

gal·​lon ˈgal-ən 

1

: a United States unit of liquid capacity equal to four quarts or 231 cubic inches or 3.785 liters

2

: a British unit of liquid and dry capacity equal to four quarts or 277.42 cubic inches or 4.544 liters

called also imperial gallon