gi

gi · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    The traditional uniform worn in martial arts such as judo, karate, and jiu-jitsu, typically consisting of a jacket, pants, and belt.

  2. 2.

    (GI, capitalized) A member of the United States armed forces, especially the army.

  3. 3.

    (GI, as adjective) Relating to or denoting US military personnel or equipment.

Forms

plural: gis

Related words

See also: judo, karate, soldier, uniform
Synonyms: dobok, keikogi, uniform

Etymology

The martial arts uniform sense comes from Japanese gi (着), meaning "dress" or "clothes," short for keikogi (稽古着, "training clothes"). The military sense is an abbreviation, originally meaning "government issue" or "general issue," later reinterpreted as "government infantryman."