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

Commercial aviation uses about 100 billion gallons of fuel per year. —Dean Donovan, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Mulaney’s latest entry in his musical saga finds him behind the cash register of a Duane Reade at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, where Pete Davidson wants to buy a gallon of milk. —Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2024

The ship loaded up on 1.5 million gallons of fuel on December 6, 1941, and has approximately half a million gallons to go. —Sloane Crosley, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024

Between 1999 and 2010, Enbridge’s operations in North America had more than 800 spills that dumped nearly 6.8 million gallons of oil, according to a NWF report. —Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2024

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

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