What does "gesticulate" mean?
To make gestures or motions, as in speaking.
Gesticulate
/dʒɛsˈtɪkjʊleɪt/ verb
verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To make gestures or motions, as in speaking.
- Grammar: gesticulate is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: gesture, motion, beckon, body language signals.
- Usage evidence: He began to gesticulate wildly, as though that would make them understand.
How to use "gesticulate"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "gesticulate" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "gesticulate" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "gesticulate" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "gesticulate" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "gesticulate" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "gesture" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "gesticulate", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To make gestures or motions, as in speaking. intransitive
"A "Haka" is the native dance, answering to the corroboree of the Australian aboriginals, and we were anxious to see it. […] Later in the evening, however, the complaisant Herekiekie entertained a small and select party at a "Haka" in his "whare" or house (pronounced wharry). It was exactly what I expected. The performers, all male, stood in a row, one, slightly advanced, acting as fugleman. They shouted and gesticulated with the most hideous and revolting gestures, grimaces, and yells."
- 2 show, express or direct through movement wordnet
- 3 To say or express through gestures. transitive
"[…]the TV programme Friends is influencing not only the way Irish people speak but also how they gesticulate. Now almost every utterance is accompanied by arms outstretched and palms turned upwards.""
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"He began to gesticulate wildly, as though that would make them understand."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "gesticulate"?
Common synonyms include: gesture, motion, beckon, body language signals, emote, emotional gesture.
How do you use "gesticulate" in a sentence?
He began to gesticulate wildly, as though that would make them understand.
How do you pronounce "gesticulate"?
Pronounced /dʒɛsˈtɪkjʊleɪt/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin gesticulātus, perfect active participle of gesticulor (“to gesticulate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from gesticulus (“a mimic gesture”), diminutive of gestus (“gesture”), from gerō (“to bear, carry, perform”).