gig.
Originally (music), a performing engagement by a musician or musical group; (by extension, film, television, theater) a job or role for a performer.
Meaning & usage
Originally (music), a performing engagement by a musician or musical group; (by extension, film, television, theater) a job or role for a performer.
I caught one of the Rolling Stones’ first gigs in Richmond.
Hey, when are we gonna get that hotel gig again?
Any job, especially one that is freelance or temporary, or done on an on-demand basis.
I had this gig as a file clerk but it wasn’t my style so I left.
That guy’s got a great gig over at the bike shop. He hardly works all day.
A demerit received for some infraction of a military deportment or dress code.
I received gigs for having buttons of my uniform undone.
Where this word comes from
The etymology of the noun is unknown, but compare Old French gigue (“a fiddle”). The verb is derived from the noun.
To play (a musical instrument) at a gig.
To impose a demerit (on someone) for an infraction of a military deportment or dress code.
His sergeant gigged him for an unmade bunk.
To engage in a musical performance, act in a theatre production, etc.
The Rolling Stones were gigging around Richmond at the time.
To work at any job, especially one that is freelance or temporary, or done on an on-demand basis.
Where this word comes from
The etymology of the noun is unknown, but compare Old French gigue (“a fiddle”). The verb is derived from the noun.
Clipping of gigabyte (“one billion (1,000,000,000) bytes”).
This picture is almost a gig; don’t you want to resize it?
My new computer has over 500 gigs of hard drive space.
Any unit of measurement having the SI prefix giga-.
Where this word comes from
Sense 1 is a clipping of gigabyte, while sense 2 is a clipping of giga- (prefix multiplying the unit to which it is attached by one billion).
A top which is made to spin by tying a piece of string around it and then throwing it so that the string unwinds rapidly; a whipping-top.
A person with an odd appearance; also, a foolish person.
Senses relating to enjoyment. Fun; frolics.
Senses relating to enjoyment. A fanciful impulse; a whim; also, a joke.
Senses relating to vehicles. A small, narrow, open boat carried in a larger ship, and used for transportation between the ship and the shore, another vessel, etc.
Senses relating to vehicles. A similar rowing boat or sailboat, especially one used for racing; specifically, a six-oared sea rowing boat commonly found in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Senses relating to vehicles. A two-wheeled carriage drawn by a single horse.
Where this word comes from
The noun is derived from Middle English gigg, gigge, gygge (“spinning object; a top”); further origin uncertain, possibly: * from Old Norse [Term?] (compare Danish gig (“a top”), dialectal Norwegian giga (“to shake about”)), from Proto-Germanic *gīganą (“to move, wish, desire”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰeyǵʰ-, *gʰeygʰ- (“to yawn, gape, long for, desire”); or * ultimately onomatopoeic. Senses 2–4 are thought to derive from sense 1 (“whipping-top”), but their exact relationship is unclear. The verb is derived from the noun.
To make a joke, often condescendingly, at the expense of (someone); to make fun of.
His older cousin was just gigging him about being in love with that girl from school.
Sometimes followed by it: to ride in a gig (“a two-wheeled carriage drawn by a single horse”).
Where this word comes from
The noun is derived from Middle English gigg, gigge, gygge (“spinning object; a top”); further origin uncertain, possibly: * from Old Norse [Term?] (compare Danish gig (“a top”), dialectal Norwegian giga (“to shake about”)), from Proto-Germanic *gīganą (“to move, wish, desire”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰeyǵʰ-, *gʰeygʰ- (“to yawn, gape, long for, desire”); or * ultimately onomatopoeic. Senses 2–4 are thought to derive from sense 1 (“whipping-top”), but their exact relationship is unclear. The verb is derived from the noun.
A frivolous, playful, or wanton young woman; a giglet or giglot.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English gig, gigge, gegge, possibly either: * from Old French gigue (“tall, skinny girl”) (modern French gigue), from Old Norse gikkr (“pert person”) (related to Danish gjæk (“fool, jester”), Swedish gäck (“fool, jester; a wag”); see also geck); or * from Middle English gigg, gigge, gygge (“spinning object; a top”) (see etymology 3).
Synonym of fishgig or fizgig (“a spear with a barb on the end of it, used for catching fish, frogs, or other small animals”).
Where this word comes from
The noun is derived from a clipping of fishgig, fizgig, possibly from Spanish fisga (“harpoon”). The verb is derived from the noun.
To spear (fish, etc.) with a gig or fizgig.
To catch or fish with a gig or fizgig.
Where this word comes from
The noun is derived from a clipping of fishgig, fizgig, possibly from Spanish fisga (“harpoon”). The verb is derived from the noun.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.