Dictionary

gesticulate en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /dʒɛsˈtɪkjəleɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• (Australia) audio
• /d͡ʒɛsˈtɪkjəleɪt/ (US)
• /dʒɛsˈtɪkjʊleɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)

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”).

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To make gestures or motions, as in speaking.
   • ... groups of dancers were wheeling, plunging, and gesticulating while the ogre, more aphasic than before, mumbled at full strength ... 1954, Kingsley Amis, chapter 12, in Lucky Jim:
   • 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. 1876 January 14, “A Week among the Maoris of Lake Taupo”, in The Cornhill Magazine, volume XXXIII, number 193, London: Smith, Elder & Co., 15 Waterloo Place, →OCLC, page 65:
   • He's delusional, and obsessed with a girl named Claire, and he says such things as: "I know she loves me, she just doesn't know it yet." And he gesticulates wildly, as though he were a fop in the court of Louis XIV. 2005 January 30, Ariel Love, “Half empty”, in The Guardian:
2. (transitive) To say or express through gestures.
   • […]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." 2004 December 6, Irish Times:

Forms

Deriveds

overgesticulate · gesticulatingly · gesticulatory

Hypernyms

communicate

Hyponyms

wave · flip the bird · quenelle · nudge · touch · flip off · sneer · salute · low five · pout · shoot a bird · cock a snook · namaste · glance · give the bird · nod · overgesture · gassho · flick off · leer · give the finger · high five · grimace · shrug · bow · tug one's forelock · thumb one's nose · moue · wince · beck · beckon · pollicate

Relateds

gesture · emote · gesticulative · gestural · gesticulation

Synonyms

gesticulate · gesture · gesture

Translations (47)

ca gesticular (to make gestures) · es manotear (to express through gestures) · ca manejar (to make gestures) · ru жестикули́ровать (to make gestures) · de gestikulieren (to make gestures) · mi hūkari (to make gestures) · lv žestikulēt (to make gestures) · it gesticolare (to make gestures) · nn gestikulera (to make gestures) · lv žestikulēt (to express through gestures) · la gesticulor (to make gestures) · mi hūkarikari (to make gestures) · mi rotarota (to express through gestures) · sv gestikulera (to make gestures) · fi elehtiä (to express through gestures) · cmn 打手勢 /打手势 (to make gestures) · de gestikulieren (to express through gestures) · da gestikulere (to make gestures) · fr gesticuler (to make gestures) · ca accionar (to make gestures) · mi tungatunga (to make gestures) · eo gestadi (to make gestures) · fi elehtiä (to make gestures) · fi viittoilla (to express through gestures) · bg ръкомахам (to make gestures) · lt gestiūlioti (to make gestures) · scn parrari chî manu (to express through gestures) · it segnare (to express through gestures) · scn gisticulari (to make gestures) · scn mòviri i manu (to make gestures) · qu haywaykachay (to make gestures) · cy ystumio (to make gestures) · ka ჟესტიკულირება (to make gestures) · da gestikulere (to express through gestures) · scn gisticulari (to express through gestures) · it gesticolare (to express through gestures) · mi tuone (to make gestures) · scn fari musiuna (to make gestures) · ca gesticular (to express through gestures) · fi viittoilla (to make gestures) · bg жестикулирам (to make gestures) · cy ystumio (to express through gestures) · scn fari musiuna (to express through gestures) · pl gestykulować (to make gestures) · es gesticular (to make gestures) · ka ჟესტიკულირება (to express through gestures) · ru жестикули́ровать (to express through gestures)