Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Nearby Entries
gallon - 7 dictionary results

gal⋅lon

  [gal-uhn]
Use gallon in a Sentence
–noun
a common unit of capacity in English-speaking countries, equal to four quarts, the U.S. standard gallon being equal to 231 cubic inches (3.7853 liters), and the British imperial gallon to 277.42 cubic inches (4.546 liters). Abbreviation: gal.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME galo(u)n, gallon < ONF galon, deriv. from base of ML gallēta jug, bucket, of uncert. orig.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To gallon
gal·lon   (gāl'ən)   
n.  
  1. Abbr. gal.
    1. A unit of volume in the U.S. Customary System, used in liquid measure, equal to 4 quarts (3.785 liters).
    2. A unit of volume in the British Imperial System, used in liquid and dry measure, equal to 4 quarts (4.546 liters). See Table at measurement.
  2. A container with a capacity of one gallon.

[Middle English, a liquid measure, from Old North French galon.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Gallon

Gal"lon\, n. [OF galon, jalon, LL. galo, galona, fr. galum a liquid measure; cf. F. jale large bowl. Cf. Gill a measure.] A measure of capacity, containing four quarts; -- used, for the most part, in liquid measure, but sometimes in dry measure.

Note: The standart gallon of the Unites States contains 231 cubic inches, or 8.3389 pounds avoirdupois of distilled water at its maximum density, and with the barometer at 30 inches. This is almost exactly equivalent to a cylinder of seven inches in diameter and six inches in height, and is the same as the old English wine gallon. The beer gallon, now little used in the United States, contains 282 cubic inches. The English imperial gallon contains 10 pounds avoirdupois of distilled water at 62? of Fahrenheit, and barometer at 30 inches, equal to 277.274 cubic inches.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Language Translation for : gallon
Spanish: galón,
German: die Gallone,
Japanese: ガロン
More Translations »

gallon 
c.1300, from O.N.Fr. galon, corresponding to O.Fr. jalon "liquid measure," related to M.L. dim. form galleta "bucket, pail," also "a measure of wine," perhaps from Gaul. galla "vessel."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source

Main Entry: gal·lon
Pronunciation: 'gal-&n
Function: noun
1 : a U.S. unit of liquid capacity equal to four quarts or 231 cubic inches or3.785 liters
2 : a British unit of liquid and dry capacity equal to four quarts or 277.42 cubic inches or 4.544 liters called also imperial gallon
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source

gallon gal·lon (gāl'ən)
n.
Abbr. gal.
A unit of volume in the U.S. Customary System, used in liquid measure, equal to 4 quarts, 231 cubic inches, or 8.3389 pounds of distilled water (3.7853 liters).

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
gallon   (gāl'ən)  Pronunciation Key 
A unit of liquid volume or capacity in the US Customary System equal to 4 quarts (3.79 liters). See Table at measurement.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see gallon on Thesaurus | Reference