: a unit of liquid capacity equal to four fluid ounces see Weights and Measures Table
1
: an organ (as of a fish) for obtaining oxygen from water
2
a
b
: the flesh under or about the chin or jaws
—usually used in plural
c
: one of the radiating plates forming the undersurface of the cap of a mushroom fungus
gilled; gilling; gills
of fish
: to become entangled in a gill net
giller
noun
Examples of gill in a Sentence
Noun (3)
a narrow gill in the Cumbrian Mountains of the Lake District
a narrow but surprisingly deep gill runs the length of the rocky gorge
Noun (4)
every Jack must have his Gill
Recent Examples on the Web
Quanta Magazine, 27 Oct. 2025
The San Gabriel Valley—SGV—is an enclave for Asian immigrants in Los Angeles County, an area packed to the gills with incredible food (this guide is a great place to start).
—Jocelyn Silver, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
Rhincodon typus, to use their scientific name, eat their ample fill by ram filter-feeding, vacuuming up gallons of water to strain out small prey before the water exits their gills.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 Oct. 2025
Also in the Tuamotus, on the atoll of Tikehau, divers head out to Tuheiava Pass with Tikehau Diving for regular sightings of mantas at a cleaning station (pinnacles that draw large fish to have their gills, teeth, and carapaces cleaned by smaller ones).
—Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gill
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Noun
Even though structures such as gills are tucked away inside animals’ bodies, their surfaces are actually external from a topological perspective, said Karl Niklas, an emeritus professor of biomechanics at Cornell University.
—Quanta Magazine, 27 Oct. 2025
The San Gabriel Valley—SGV—is an enclave for Asian immigrants in Los Angeles County, an area packed to the gills with incredible food (this guide is a great place to start).
—Jocelyn Silver, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
Rhincodon typus, to use their scientific name, eat their ample fill by ram filter-feeding, vacuuming up gallons of water to strain out small prey before the water exits their gills.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 Oct. 2025
Also in the Tuamotus, on the atoll of Tikehau, divers head out to Tuheiava Pass with Tikehau Diving for regular sightings of mantas at a cleaning station (pinnacles that draw large fish to have their gills, teeth, and carapaces cleaned by smaller ones).
—Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gill
Cite this Entry
“Gill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gill. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
gill
2 of 2 noun1
: an organ (as of a fish) of thin plates or threadlike processes for obtaining oxygen from water
2
: the flesh under or about the chin or jaws
—usually used in plural
3
: one of the plates arranged in a circle and forming the undersurface of the cap of a mushroom
Medical Definition
gill
1 of 2 noun
: either of two units of capacity:
a
: a British unit equal to ¹/₄ imperial pint or 8.669 cubic inches
b
: a United States liquid unit equal to ¹/₄ United States liquid pint or 7.218 cubic inches
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