Skip to the word

Added 10 October 2026

gallon

/ˈɡælən/ noun

In Latin: congius Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about gallon at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A unit of volume, equivalent to eight pints
exactly 4.54609 liters; an imperial gallon
231 cubic inches or approximately 3.785 liters for liquids (a "U.S. liquid gallon")

Origin

From Middle English gallon, galoun, galun, from Old Northern French galun, galon (“liquid measure”) (compare Old French jalon), from Late Latin galum, galus (“measure of wine”), from Vulgar Latin *galla (“vessel”), possibly from Gaulish *galla, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kel- (“goblet”). Cognate with Ancient Greek κύλιξ (kúlix, “cup”), Sanskrit कलश (kalaśa, “jar, pitcher; measure of liquid”). Related to Old French gille (“wine measure”) (from Medieval Latin gillō (“earthenware jar”)), Old French jale (“bowl”), Old French jaloie (“measure of capacity”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word