What does "gibraltar" mean?
; (originally) A cortado served in a small glass; (by extension) any cortado
Gibraltar
/d͡ʒɪˈbɹɔːltə(ɹ)/ name, noun
name, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: ; (originally) A cortado served in a small glass; (by extension) any cortado
- Grammar: gibraltar is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: calpe, domain, gibraltars, horse.
- Useful contrasts: independence, lowland, sovereign state.
- Usage evidence: This boat sails through the Strait of Gibraltar.
How to use "gibraltar"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "gibraltar" 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 "gibraltar" 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 "gibraltar" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "gibraltar" 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 "gibraltar" is acting as name, noun 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 "calpe" 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.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "gibraltar", 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
Noun
- 1 ; (originally) A cortado served in a small glass; (by extension) any cortado Canada, US
"Two Gibraltars (decaf) at Kafka"
Proper Noun
- 1 A peninsula, city, and overseas territory of the United Kingdom, at the southern end of Iberia.
- 2 A strait connecting the Mediterranean to the Atlantic between Gibraltar and Morocco; in full, Strait of Gibraltar.
- 3 A place in England:; A hamlet in Kempston Rural parish, Bedford borough, Bedfordshire (OS grid ref TL0046).
- 4 A place in England:; A hamlet mostly in Dinton with Ford and Upton parish, Buckinghamshire (OS grid ref SP7510).
- 5 A place in England:; A hamlet in Hawkinge parish, Folkestone and Hythe district, Kent (OS grid ref TR2039).
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 A place in England:; A locality in Bletchingdon parish, Cherwell district, Oxfordshire (OS grid ref SP4818).
- 7 A place in the United States:; A city in Wayne County, Michigan.
- 8 A place in the United States:; A ghost town in Union County, North Carolina.
- 9 A place in the United States:; A census-designated place in Robeson Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
- 10 A place in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Skagit County, Washington.
- 11 A place in the United States:; A town in Door County, Wisconsin.
- 12 A rural community in the Regional Municipality of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
- 13 A town in Zulia State, Venezuela.
- 14 A barangay of Baguio, Benguet, Philippines.
Antonyms
Example
"This boat sails through the Strait of Gibraltar."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "gibraltar"?
Common synonyms include: calpe, domain, gibraltars, horse, iron, lion.
How do you use "gibraltar" in a sentence?
This boat sails through the Strait of Gibraltar.
How do you pronounce "gibraltar"?
Pronounced /d͡ʒɪˈbɹɔːltə(ɹ)/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Spanish Gibraltar, from Arabic جَبَل طَارِق (jabal ṭāriq, “Mount Tariq”), named after Tariq ibn Ziyad, who led the Umayyad conquest of Hispania, starting in 711. Replaced earlier Latin Mons Calpe (“Mount Calpe”) for the land, and Columnae Herculis, from Ancient Greek Ἡράκλειαι στῆλαι (Hērákleiai stêlai, “Pillars of Hercules”), for the strait. The barangay in Baguio, Philippines is named by a German national "Jonathan Speth" after the Rock of Gibraltar in Europe. He lived and died in the barangay.
Etymology 2
"Gibraltar" is the name of a line of tumblers made by glassware company Libbey. The drink was named in 2005, by Steve Ford at Blue Bottle Coffee in San Francisco, after the glass in which its version was served.