name · noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ɡɔːl/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
cot-caught-merger:/ɡɑl/
rhymes with -ɔːl
homophone: gall
CMU ARPABET:G AO1 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
name
Meaning 1
A historical region of Western Europe referring to areas occupied by Celts during Roman times, roughly corresponding to modern France, Luxembourg, Belgium, most of Switzerland, and parts of Northern Italy (Lombardy), the Netherlands, and Germany west of the Rhine.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
A native or inhabitant of the historical region of Gaul, or poetically the modern nation of France.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
an ancient region of western Europe that included what is now northern Italy and France and Belgium and part of Germany and the Netherlands
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Gallia
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: geographical area, geographic area, geographical region, geographic region
4
noun
Meaning 4
a Celt of ancient Gaul
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: Celt, Kelt
Narrower terms: Galatian
5
noun
Meaning 5
a person of French descent
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: frog
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: Frenchman, Frenchwoman, French person
History
Etymology
Borrowed from French Gaule (“Gaul”), from Middle French Gaule (“Gaul”), from Old French Gaule, Waulle (“Gaul”, a term used to translate unrelated Latin Gallia (“Gaul”)), from Frankish *Walha(land) (“Gaul, Land of the Romans, foreigners”), from Proto-West Germanic *walh (“foreigner, Roman, Celt”), from Proto-Germanic *walhaz (“an outlander, foreigner, Celt”), probably of Celtic origin, from the same source as Latin Volcae (name of a Celtic tribe in South Germany, which later emigrated to Gaul). Akin to Old High German Walh, Walah (“a Celt, Roman, Gaul”), Old English wealh (“a non-Germanic foreigner, Celt/Briton/Welshman”), Old Norse Valir (“Gauls, Frenchmen”). More at Wales/Welsh, Cornwall, Walloon, and Vlach/Wallachia. Despite their similar appearance, Latin Gallia is not the origin of French Gaule. During the evolution from Latin to French, stressed initial /ˈɡa-/ yielded /dʒa/ > /ʒa/ (cf. Latin gamba > French jambe), while unstressed final /-lia/ yielded /ʎə/ > /j/ (cf. Latin filia > French fille). Thus, the regular outcome of Latin Gallia is /ʒaj/ ⟨Jaille⟩, which is attested in several French toponyms: La Jaille-Yvon, Saint-Mars-la-Jaille, etc.
From Middle English Gall, from Latin Gallus. The change in spelling is due to the influence of the place-name Gaul, which is thought to be etymologically unrelated (see above).
Across languages
Translations
93 source translations are retained for this English entry.
