gill

gill · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    The respiratory organ of fish and some other aquatic animals, consisting of a series of thin plates or filaments through which oxygen is extracted from water.

  2. 2.

    (botany) The thin, radiating plates on the underside of a mushroom cap that contain the spores.

  3. 3.

    (archaic) A unit of liquid measure equal to a quarter of a pint.

Forms

plural: gills

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    green around the gills — looking sick or nauseous
  • •
    to the gills — completely full; to capacity

Related words

See also: breathe, fish, mushroom
Synonyms: branchia

Etymology

From Old English gielle ("gill"), related to Old Norse gjolnar ("lips"). The measurement sense comes from Old French gelle ("wine measure").