Gallon Definition & Meaning

American

British

Scientific

Etymology

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Examples

Synonyms gallon American [gal-uhn] / ˈgæl ən /

noun

1. 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). gal.

gallon British / ˈɡælən /

noun

1. Also called: imperial gallon. a unit of capacity equal to 277.42 cubic inches. 1 Brit gallon is equivalent to 1.20 US gallons or 4.55 litres

2. a unit of capacity equal to 231 cubic inches. 1 US gallon is equivalent to 0.83 imperial gallon or 3.79 litres

3. (plural) great quantities

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 gallon Scientific / găl′ən /

1. A unit of liquid volume or capacity in the US Customary System equal to 4 quarts (3.79 liters).

2. See Table at measurement

Etymology

Origin of gallon

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English galo(u)n, gallon, from Old North French galon, derivative from base of Medieval Latin gallēta “jug, bucket,” of uncertain origin

Compare meaning

How does gallon compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• gallon vs. liter
• pint vs. gallon

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Retail prices have risen more than 77 cents a gallon since the war began on Feb. 28, to an average of $3.699 for a gallon of regular unleaded, according to AAA.

From Barron's

U.S. gas prices Sunday averaged $3.699 a gallon, according to AAA, about 77 cents higher than a month ago.

From MarketWatch

U.S. gas prices Sunday averaged $3.699 a gallon, according to AAA, about 77 cents higher than a month ago.

From MarketWatch

Californians pay $5.48 a gallon on average—and military jet fuel is getting dangerously expensive.

From The Wall Street Journal

While gasoline prices have increased by an average of 74 cents a gallon nationwide over the past month, they’ve shot up 91 cents in the Golden State.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.