gut

1 of 4

noun

ˈgət 

1

a

: bowels, entrails

—usually used in plural

fish guts

b

: digestive tract

also : part of the digestive tract and especially the intestine or stomach

c

: belly, abdomen

d

: catgut

2

guts plural : the inner essential parts

the guts of a car

3

guts plural : fortitude and stamina in coping with what alarms, repels, or discourages : courage, pluck

had the guts to run for public office

4

: the basic visceral, emotional, or instinctual part of a person

She knew in her gut that he was lying.

Consult more than one financial adviser before making a final choice, and trust your gut.

—Quentin Fottrell

My gut says this is, overall, a terrible idea.

—Erica Buist

—often used before another noun

making a gut decision

a gut feeling

"Tony's a very driven guy, and he makes a lot of decisions based on gut instinct," …

—Tom Nides

5

: a narrow passage

also : a narrow waterway or small creek

6

: the sac of silk taken from a silkworm ready to spin its cocoon and drawn out into a thread for use as a snell

7

: gut course

gut

2 of 4

adjective

1

: arising from one's inmost self : visceral

a gut reaction

2

: having strong impact or immediate relevance

gut issues

gut

3 of 4

verb

gutted; gutting

transitive verb

1

a

: eviscerate

b

: to extract all the essential passages or portions from

2

a

: to destroy the inside of

fire gutted the building

b

: to destroy the essential power or effectiveness of

inflation gutting the economy

GUT

4 of 4

abbreviation

grand unified theory; grand unification theory

Phrases

gut it out

: persevere

Synonyms

Noun

• entrails
• innards
• inside(s)
• inwards
• viscera
• vitals

Verb

• clean
• disembowel
• draw
• eviscerate

Examples of gut in a Sentence

Noun

the guts of the fish

the guts of a machine

the guts of a business deal

That decision took a lot of guts.

I didn't have the guts to do it.

Verb

The salmon is already gutted and filleted.

Critics claim that these reforms will gut the law.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Being omnivorous, with a very long and efficient gut, humans coped better than other mammals in the face of pestilence and drought, the better to ensure our survival. —John Mariani, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024

This benefit may be more useful for the food industry than for personal use at home, but rose extract’s antibacterial properties could lead to more beneficial uses in terms of diet and gut health. —William Truswell, Verywell Health, 26 Dec. 2024

Adjective

Participants had their gut flora analyzed via metagenomics, a technique that can glean insights into gut microbiome composition based on sequencing the genetic content of stool samples. —Christina Manian, Health, 10 Dec. 2024

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs): These are produced when gut microbiota ferments (breaks down) carbohydrates in plant foods. —Johna Burdeos, Health, 20 Oct. 2024

Verb

President-elect Trump’s mass deportation proposals threaten to gut the U.S. economy, shrinking growth and the labor force while juicing inflation, according to a report released Thursday by Democrats in the Congressional Joint Economic Committee (JEC). —Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 12 Dec. 2024

To name but one example among dozens—his plan to gut the federal civil service and fill the executive branch with Project 2025 recruits wasn't a response to any of his legal troubles of the past four years. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun, Adjective, and Verb

Middle English, from Old English guttas, plural; probably akin to Old English gēotan to pour

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Adjective

1964, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing gut

• beer gut
• blind gut
• bust a/one's gut
• gut check
• gut course
• gut it out
• gut-wrenching

Kids Definition

gut

1 of 2 noun

ˈgət 

1

a

: entrails, viscera

—usually used in plural

b

: the alimentary canal or part of it (as the intestine or stomach)

c

: abdomen sense 1, belly

2

plural : the inner essential parts

3

plural : courage

gut

2 of 2 verb

gutted; gutting

1

: to remove the entrails from

scale and gut a fish

2

: to destroy the inside of

fire gutted the building

Medical Definition

gut

1 of 2 noun

ˈgət 

1

a

: digestive tract

also : part of the digestive tract and especially the intestine or stomach

the mix of bacteria making up the flora of the gut

—W. E. Leary

b

: abdomen sense 1a, belly

—usually used in plural

—not often in formal use

his huge gut hung far below his belt

—L. M. Uris

2

: catgut

gut

2 of 2 transitive verb

gutted; gutting

: to take out the bowels of : eviscerate