gi

1 of 6

abbreviation (1)

gill

GI

2 of 6

adjective

ˌjē-ˈī 

1

: provided by an official U.S. military supply department

GI shoes

2

: of, relating to, or characteristic of U.S. military personnel

3

: conforming to military regulations or customs

a GI haircut

GI

3 of 6

noun

plural GIs or GI's ˌjē-ˈīz 

: a member or former member of the U.S. armed forces

especially : a man enlisted in the army

GI

4 of 6

adverb

: in a strictly regulation manner

GI

5 of 6

verb

GI'd ˌjē-ˈīd  ; GI'ing ˌjē-ˈī-iŋ 

transitive verb

: to clean (something) thoroughly in preparation for or as if for a military inspection

The barracks … were in fine order—they'd been GI'd the night before.

—New Republic

GI

6 of 6

abbreviation (2)

1

galvanized iron

2

gastrointestinal

3

general issue; government issue

4

glycemic index

Synonyms

Verb

• clean
• cleanse
• deterge
• turn out

Examples of gi in a Sentence

Verb

in preparation for one of her mother-in-law's dreaded visits, she had GI'd the whole house

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This may be a sign of bleeding in your GI tract.7 Before taking a magnesium supplement, speak with your healthcare provider. —Alex Yampolsky, Health, 7 Apr. 2025

Axel’s many urgent-care visits for severe GI issues come into sharper focus when Taylor mentions the soothing post-workout beverages Freya would customize for each of them. —Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025

There have been 12 GI outbreaks on cruise ships in 2025, so far, according to the CDC. —Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 1 Apr. 2025

The goal is ultimately to codify the regulations and give Japanese whisky GI (geographical indication) status in the same way that bourbon, Cognac, and tequila have. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

galvanized iron; from abbreviation used in listing such articles as garbage cans, but taken as abbreviation for government issue

First Known Use

Adjective

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1943, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1949, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1951, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

GI

1 of 2 adjective

(ˈ)jē-ˈī 

: of, relating to, or characteristic of U.S. military forces

GI

2 of 2 noun

plural GIs or GI's

: a member or former member of the U.S. armed forces

Etymology

Adjective

from the abbreviation for galvanized iron used in listing such articles as garbage cans, but mistaken as standing for government issue

Medical Definition

GI

abbreviation

(ˈ)jē-ˈī 

1

gastrointestinal

2

glycemic index