gi

1 of 6

abbreviation (1)

gill
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 How to pronounce GI (audio)
: 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

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
While other toy companies have struggled financially – Hasbro, the maker of GI Joe, Monopoly, and other toys, recently announced layoffs – Mattel has thrived with toys that include Hot Wheels and Barbie dolls, two of the hottest and most iconic items in retail. George Petras, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024 Gut Check Time Although scientists don’t understand the root causes of both GI disorders like irritable bowel disorder and mood disorders like anxiety and depression, more research has been connecting the two. Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 11 Dec. 2024 Crohn’s is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation and damage to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 2 Dec. 2024 These include diarrhea or other gastrointestinal (GI) issues, skin rashes, headaches, and nausea.1 When first taking turmeric, consider starting with small doses or splitting up larger doses over a day. Sherri Gordon, Health, 2 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for gi 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of gi was in 1926

Dictionary Entries Near gi

Cite this Entry

“Gi.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gi. Accessed 20 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

GI

1 of 2 adjective
: 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
1
gastrointestinal
2
glycemic index

More from Merriam-Webster on gi

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!