gorget

noun

gor·​get ˈgȯr-jət How to pronounce gorget (audio)
1
: a piece of armor protecting the throat see armor illustration
2
a
: an ornamental collar
b
: a part of a wimple covering the throat and shoulders
c
: a specially colored patch on the throat
especially : a bright patch of feathers on the throat of a bird and especially a hummingbird

Examples of gorget in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Calliope hummingbird: Adult male Calliope Hummingbirds can be identified by their long purplish-red gorget (throat) feathers, which appear as stripes accented with white, and look whisker-like when fluffed out. — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 14 Mar. 2025 Lithotomy set To remove a kidney stone, a physician would insert a slender lithotomy forceps, sometimes with a gorget, through the urethra to crush the stone, then use a scoop to extract the debris. — Will McCarthy, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2023

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from gorge

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gorget was in the 15th century

Rhymes for gorget

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Browse Nearby Words

gorgerin
gorget
gorgia
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Cite this Entry

“Gorget.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gorget. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.

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Medical Definition

gorget

noun
gor·​get ˈgȯr-jət How to pronounce gorget (audio)
: a grooved instrument used especially formerly to guide the direction of surgical incision in lithotomy

More from Merriam-Webster on gorget

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gorget

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