gig

1 of 9

noun (1)

ˈgig 

plural gigs

: a job usually for a specified time

especially : an entertainer's engagement see also gig economy, gig worker

gig

2 of 9

verb (1)

gigged; gigging

intransitive verb

: to work as a musician

… gigged with various bands …

—DownBeat

gig

3 of 9

noun (2)

: gigabyte

gig

4 of 9

noun (3)

1

a

: a long light ship's boat

b

: a rowboat designed for speed rather than for work

2

: a light 2-wheeled one-horse carriage

3

: something that whirls or is whirled: such as

a

: a 3-digit selection in a numbers game

b

obsolete : top, whirligig

4

: a person of odd or grotesque appearance

gig

5 of 9

verb (2)

gigged; gigging

intransitive verb

: to travel in a gig

gig

6 of 9

noun (4)

1

: a pronged spear for catching fish

2

: an arrangement of hooks to be drawn through a school of fish in order to hook their bodies

gig

7 of 9

verb (3)

gigged; gigging

transitive verb

1

: to spear with a gig

2

a

chiefly Western US : spur, jab

b

: goad, provoke

intransitive verb

: to fish with a gig

gig

8 of 9

noun (5)

: a military demerit

gig

9 of 9

verb (4)

gigged; gigging

transitive verb

: to give a military gig to

Examples of gig in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Cruise ship jobs are hard work, but there are some unique perks to the gigs. — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 8 July 2026

Despite the pressure to make money, gig drivers heavily value their safety and personal life above the extra dollar earned. — Christopher S. Tang, The Conversation, 8 July 2026

Verb

Things get even more complicated in October when Dylan heads to Europe for another leg of the tour, just as Lage is gigging across North America. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 7 July 2026

Sade’s debut is a pristine work of professional studio craft just like all their subsequent releases, but Diamond Life was made by a working class band that had spent years gigging in the clubs of London. — Al Shipley, SPIN, 30 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

Noun (3)

Middle English -gyge (in whyrlegyge whirligig), of unknown origin

Noun (4)

short for earlier fizgig, fishgig, of unknown origin

Noun (5)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1908, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

1937, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1987, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb (2)

1807, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

1722, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (3)

1803, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (5)

circa 1941, in the meaning defined above

Verb (4)

circa 1941, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing gig

• gig economy
• gig worker

Rhymes for gig

• big
• brig
• brigg
• dig
• fig
• jig
• mig
• pig
• prig
• rig
• sprig
• swig

Kids Definition

gig

1 of 3 noun

ˈgig 

1

: a long light boat

2

: a light two-wheeled one-horse carriage

gig

2 of 3 noun

: gigabyte

gig

3 of 3 noun

: a job for a specified time

especially : an entertainer's job for a specified time