Dictionary

gesticulation en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (General-American) audio
• /dʒɛˌstɪkjəˈleɪʃən/

Etymology

From Middle English gesticulation, from Latin gesticulatio.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The act of gesticulating, or making gestures to aid expression of thoughts, sentiments or passion.
2. (countable, uncountable) A gesture; a motion of the body or limbs when speaking, or in representing action or passion, and enforcing arguments and sentiments.
   • It is commonly supposed that they communicated by sounds and tentacular gesticulations; this is asserted, for instance, in the able but hastily compiled pamphlet (written evidently by someone not an eye-witness of Martian actions) to which I have already alluded, and which, so far, has been the chief source of information concerning them. 1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann:
   • The breeze had died away and the tree was now quite motionless save when William's statements required forcible gesticulations, which made it sway in a gentle nodding manner as though it were confirming every word the old sage uttered. 1929, Robert Dean Frisbee, The Book of Puka-Puka, Eland, published 2019, page 193:
   • In the eagerness of his gesticulations, first he knocked off my hat, then he knocked off Lessingham’s, then his own, then all three together […] 1897, Richard Marsh, The Beetle:
3. (countable, dated, uncountable) An odd or fanciful motion.
   • I indulged in this meditation for a moment, and then again addressed the mourner, who stood leaning against the bed with that expression of resigned despair, of complete misery, and a patient sufferance of it, which is far more touching than any of the insane ravings or wild gesticulation of untamed sorrow. 1826, [Mary Shelley], chapter IV, in The Last Man. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 115:

Forms

Deriveds

overgesticulation

Relateds

gesture · gesticulative · gestural · gesticulatory · gesticulate

Translations (48)

hi अंगविक्षेप (act of gesticulating) · it gesticolazione (act of gesticulating) · lv žestikulācija (act of gesticulating) · tr jestlerle anlatma (act of gesticulating) · sh гестикула́ција (act of gesticulating) · ml ആംഗികം (act of gesticulating) · pl gestykulacja (act of gesticulating) · ro gesticulație (act of gesticulating) · et žestikuleerimine (act of gesticulating) · be жэстыкуля́цыя (act of gesticulating) · es gesticulación (act of gesticulating) · fr gesticulation (act of gesticulating) · uk жестикуля́ція (act of gesticulating) · cmn 手勢 /手势 (act of gesticulating) · et žestikulatsioon (act of gesticulating) · it gesticolio (act of gesticulating) · nl gebaar (act of gesticulating) · ru жестикуля́ция (act of gesticulating) · mk гестикулација (act of gesticulating) · sk gestikulácia (act of gesticulating) · fi elehtiminen (act of gesticulating) · hi हाव-भाव (act of gesticulating) · de Gestik (act of gesticulating) · hu gesztikulálás (act of gesticulating) · ar إِيمَاء (act of gesticulating) · ka ჟესტიკულაცია (act of gesticulating) · pt gesticulação (act of gesticulating) · bg жестикули́ране (act of gesticulating) · sh gestikulácija (act of gesticulating) · hy ժեստիկուլյացիա (act of gesticulating) · de Gestikulierung (act of gesticulating) · nb gestikulering (act of gesticulating) · sq gjestikulacion (act of gesticulating) · ru жестикули́рование (act of gesticulating) · de Gebärdenspiel (act of gesticulating) · la gesticulātiō (act of gesticulating) · ko 몸짓 (act of gesticulating) · cs gestikulace (act of gesticulating) · bg жестикула́ция (act of gesticulating) · da gestikulering (act of gesticulating) · ja 身振り (act of gesticulating) · bg ръкома́хане (act of gesticulating) · el χειρονομία (act of gesticulating) · sv gestikulering (act of gesticulating) · lt gestikuliacija (act of gesticulating) · sl gestikulacija (act of gesticulating) · nl gebarenspel (act of gesticulating) · gl xesticulación (act of gesticulating)