Gesture

How to spell gesture

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce gesture

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does gesture mean?

1. nounA movement of the hand, head, or body that expresses an idea or feeling, or a symbolic act done to show intention.
2. verbTo make a movement of the hand, head, or body in order to express something.

Gesture in a sentence

• noun

  A small gesture of thanks goes a long way with busy colleagues.

• verb

  The guide began to gesture toward the exit on the far side of the hall.

• noun

  He raised his hand in a friendly gesture as the train pulled away.

• verb

  She would often gesture broadly while explaining a tricky idea.

Where does gesture come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word comes from the medieval Latin gestura, meaning a way of carrying or bearing oneself, which was built on the Latin verb gerere, meaning 'to carry, to conduct, or to behave'. The same gerere lies behind a surprising family of English words, including 'register', 'digest', and 'belligerent', all of which carry some sense of bearing or conducting. Gesture entered English in the late 1300s, at first describing a person's general bearing or deportment rather than a single movement. Over time the meaning narrowed to the specific motions of the hand, head, or body that accompany or replace speech. The figurative sense, a symbolic act done to show one's feelings or intentions, developed later and is now just as common. The 't' that trips some writers reflects that Latin gestura root, where the spelling has stayed remarkably stable.

How the word is built

• gest- (from Latin gerere: to carry, conduct, behave)
• -ure (noun-forming suffix)