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gig

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gig¹

  • /ɡɪɡ/ US, UK

Rhymes with -ɪɡ

Where it comes from

The etymology of the noun is unknown, but compare Old French gigue (“a fiddle”). The verb is derived from the noun.

noun gigs

  1. informal Originally (music), a performing engagement by a musician or musical group; (by extension, film, television, theater) a job or role for a performer. I caught one of the Rolling Stones’ first gigs in Richmond.
  2. broadly, informal Any job, especially one that is freelance or temporary, or done on an on-demand basis. I had this gig as a file clerk but it wasn’t my style so I left.
  3. US, informal A demerit received for some infraction of a military deportment or dress code. I received gigs for having buttons of my uniform undone.

verb gigs · gigging · gigged

  1. informal, transitive To play (a musical instrument) at a gig.
  2. US, informal, transitive To impose a demerit (on someone) for an infraction of a military deportment or dress code. His sergeant gigged him for an unmade bunk.
  3. informal, intransitive To engage in a musical performance, act in a theatre production, etc. The Rolling Stones were gigging around Richmond at the time.
  4. broadly, informal, intransitive To work at any job, especially one that is freelance or temporary, or done on an on-demand basis.

gig²

  • /ɡɪɡ/ US, UK
  • /d͡ʒɪɡ/ US, UK

Sounds like jig (one pronunciation) · Rhymes with -ɪɡ

Where it comes from

Sense 1 is a clipping of gigabyte, while sense 2 is a clipping of giga- (prefix multiplying the unit to which it is attached by one billion).

noun gig · gigs

  1. abbreviation, clipping, informal Clipping of gigabyte (“one billion (1,000,000,000) bytes”). This picture is almost a gig; don’t you want to resize it?
  2. informal, slang Any unit of measurement having the SI prefix giga-.

gig³

  • /ɡɪɡ/ US, UK

Rhymes with -ɪɡ

Where it comes from

The noun is derived from Middle English gigg, gigge, gygge (“spinning object; a top”); further origin uncertain, possibly:

* from Old Norse [Term?] (compare Danish gig (“a top”), dialectal Norwegian giga (“to shake about”)), from Proto-Germanic *gīganą (“to move, wish, desire”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰeyǵʰ-, *gʰeygʰ- (“to yawn, gape, long for, desire”); or

* ultimately onomatopoeic.

Senses 2–4 are thought to derive from sense 1 (“whipping-top”), but their exact relationship is unclear.

The verb is derived from the noun.

noun gigs

  1. informal, obsolete A top which is made to spin by tying a piece of string around it and then throwing it so that the string unwinds rapidly; a whipping-top. Peda[nt]. Thou diſputes like an Infant: goe vvhip thy Gigg. / Pag[e]. Lende me your Horne to make one, and I vvill vvhip about your Infamie vnũ cita a gigge of a Cuckolds horne.
  2. UK, archaic, dialectal, informal A person with an odd appearance; also, a foolish person.
  3. UK, archaic, dialectal, informal, slang Fun; frolics. Such was his toil, when one night coming home, / Such swell uncivil, who'd been out to roam / In search of lark, or some delicious gig / The mind delights in, when 'tis in prime twig,—
  4. informal, obsolete A fanciful impulse; a whim; also, a joke. I muſt goe ſee him preſently, / For this is ſuch a gig: for certaine Gentlemen / The Fiend rides on a Fiddleſticke.
  5. informal A small, narrow, open boat carried in a larger ship, and used for transportation between the ship and the shore, another vessel, etc. She [a frigate] also carried a Commodore's Barge, a Captain's Gig, and a "dingy," a small yawl, with a crew of apprentice boys. […] Above all, the officers see to it that the Commodore's Barge and the Captain's Gig are manned by gentlemanly youths, who do credit to their country, and form agreeable
  6. Southern England, broadly, informal A similar rowing boat or sailboat, especially one used for racing; specifically, a six-oared sea rowing boat commonly found in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
  7. historical, informal A two-wheeled carriage drawn by a single horse. While Sir William was with them, Mr. Collins devoted his mornings to driving him out in his gig, and shewing him the country; […]

verb gigs · gigging · gigged

  1. informal, transitive To make a joke, often condescendingly, at the expense of (someone); to make fun of. His older cousin was just gigging him about being in love with that girl from school.
  2. informal, intransitive Sometimes followed by it: to ride in a gig (“a two-wheeled carriage drawn by a single horse”).

gig⁴

  • /ɡɪɡ/ US, UK

Rhymes with -ɪɡ

Where it comes from

From Middle English gig, gigge, gegge, possibly either:

* from Old French gigue (“tall, skinny girl”) (modern French gigue), from Old Norse gikkr (“pert person”) (related to Danish gjæk (“fool, jester”), Swedish gäck (“fool, jester; a wag”); see also geck); or

* from Middle English gigg, gigge, gygge (“spinning object; a top”) (see etymology 3).

noun gigs

  1. informal, obsolete A frivolous, playful, or wanton young woman; a giglet or giglot.

    Similar: fizgig

gig⁵

  • /ɡɪɡ/ US, UK

Rhymes with -ɪɡ

Where it comes from

The noun is derived from a clipping of fishgig, fizgig, possibly from Spanish fisga (“harpoon”).

The verb is derived from the noun.

noun gigs

  1. informal Synonym of fishgig or fizgig (“a spear with a barb on the end of it, used for catching fish, frogs, or other small animals”). On toward dusk some little gypsy boys whittled gigs from river-birch limbs and went to a backwater and gigged frogs until they had a basketful.

    Similar: fishgig, fizgig

verb gigs · gigging · gigged

  1. informal, transitive To spear (fish, etc.) with a gig or fizgig.
  2. informal, intransitive To catch or fish with a gig or fizgig.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: fizgig, lance, spear, fishgig, entertainment, role, performing, showmanship, pageant, chorus, spectacle, show, performance, concert, sight, engagement

Translations

Every language

noun performing engagement by a musician or musical group; job or role for a performer

Españolbolo
日本語ギグ gigu, 仕事 shigoto, 出演 shutsuen
中文演出 yǎnchū, 音樂會 /音乐会 yīnyuè huì
Portuguêsapresentação, show
Françaisconcert
DeutschGig, Auftritt
Italianoesibizione
Русскийконце́рт koncért, музыка́льное представле́ние muzykálʹnoje predstavlénije, выступле́ние vystuplénije
Tiếng Việtbiểu diễn, nhạc sống
العربيةحَفْلَة ḥafla

noun any job, especially one that is freelance or temporary, or done on an on-demand basis

Русскийхалту́ра xaltúra

verb to engage in a musical performance, act in a theatre production, etc.

Deutschmusizieren

noun clipping of gigabyte

Españolgiga
Portuguêsgiga
Italianogiga

noun small, narrow, open boat carried in a larger ship, and used for transportation between the ship and the shore, another vessel, etc.

Françaisgig
DeutschGig
Русскийги́чка gíčka

noun similar rowing boat or sailboat, especially one used for racing; six-oared sea rowing boat commonly found in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

DeutschGig
Русскийги́чка gíčka

noun two-wheeled carriage drawn by a single horse

Españolcharrete
Portuguêsgig
Françaisgig
DeutschGig
Italianocalesse
Русскийдвуко́лка dvukólka

verb to make a joke, often condescendingly, at the expense of (someone) — see also make fun of

Deutschveralbern

verb to catch or fish with a gig

Deutschspeerfischen

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Cite this
MLA

"gig." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/gig. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

gig. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/gig

Chicago

"gig." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/gig.

BibTeX
@misc{gig_2026,
  title = {gig},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/gig},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}