gudgeon
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gudgeon¹
- /ˈɡʌdʒən/ UK
- /ˈɡʌd͡ʒən/ US
- /ˈɡʌjən/ US
Rhymes with -ʌdʒən
Where it comes from
The noun is derived from Late Middle English gojoun [and other forms], from Old French gojon, goujon (“gudgeon”), from Late Latin gōbiōnem, the accusative of gōbiō, the augmentative of Latin gōbius (“gudgeon”), from Ancient Greek κωβῐός (kōbĭós, “fish of the gudgeon kind”), probably of Semitic origin. The English word is a doublet of goby and goujon.
The verb is derived from the noun.
noun gudgeons
-
A small freshwater fish of species Gobio gobio, native to Eurasia.
[…] Ile tell thee more of this another time. / But fiſh not with this melancholy baite, / For this foole gudgin, this opinion: […]
Similar: common gudgeon, goby, wapper
- Cottus bairdii, more widely known as mottled sculpin.
-
Any of various similar small fish of the family Eleotridae, often used as bait.
The southern purple-spotted gudgeon [Mogurnda adspersa] can be hard to find. Although colourful, they are thin and only grow up to 12 centimetres.
Similar: sleeper goby
- Any of various other fish, similar in appearance and principally in families Butidae and Eleotridae.
-
A person apt to take the bait; one easily cheated or duped; also, an idiot.
The Doctor now obeys the Summons, / Likes both his Company, and Commons; / Diſplays his Talent, ſits till Ten; / Next Day invited, comes again; / Soon grows Domeſtick, ſeldom fails, / Either at Morning, or at Meals; / Came early, and departed late: / In ſhort, the Gudgeon took the Bait.
Similar: chump, chumpion, cousin, cull, cully, dupe, dotterel, easy mark, fall guy, fish, gudgeon, gull
- Something used to lure or tempt; bait, a lure.
verb gudgeons · gudgeoning · gudgeoned
- To deprive (someone) fraudulently; to cheat, to dupe. I have seen when you were willing to tie his points or brush his cloak, or the like—and to be treated thus ungratefully—and gudgeoned of the opportunities which had been given you—
- To take the bait; to be defrauded or duped.
gudgeon²
- /ˈɡʌdʒən/ UK
- /ˈɡʌd͡ʒən/ US
- /ˈɡʌjən/ US
Rhymes with -ʌdʒən
Where it comes from
From Middle English gojoun (“metal fitting with a ring at one end”) [and other forms], from Old French goujon (“dowel; pin”) [and other forms], from gouge (“gouge (tool)”) + -on (suffix forming diminutives). Gouge is derived from Late Latin gulbia, gubia (“chisel”), ultimately from Proto-Celtic *gulbā, *gulbīnos (“beak, bill”).
noun gudgeons
- A circular or cylindrical fitting, often made of metal, into which a pin or pintle fits to create a hinge or pivoting joint. [A]s to a Wheel-barrow, I fancy'd I could make all but the Wheel; but that I had no Notion of, neither did I know how to go about it; beſides, I had no possible way to make the Iron Gudgeons for the Spindle or Axis of the Wheel to run in, ſo I gave it over; [...]
-
In a vessel with a stern-mounted rudder: the fitting into which the pintle of the rudder fits, allowing the rudder to swing freely.
This afternoon the gudgeon of the rudder belonging to the large cutter, was drawn out and ſtolen, without being perceived by the man that was ſtationed to take care of her.
Similar: brace
Translations
Every language
noun Gobio gobio
| Español | gobio |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 모샘치 mosaemchi |
| 中文 | 鮈 /𬶋 jū |
| Português | gobião, góbio |
| Français | goujon |
| Deutsch | Gründling |
| Italiano | gobione |
| Ελληνικά | μουστακάς moustakás, γυφτόψαρο gyftópsaro |
| Română | porcușor, porcușor comun |
| Русский | обыкновенный пескарь obyknovennyj peskarʹ, песка́рь peskárʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | cá bống mú |
noun fitting into which the pintle of the rudder fits
| Deutsch | Ruderöse, unteres Ruderscharnier |
|---|
Talk about this word "gudgeon." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/gudgeon. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. gudgeon. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/gudgeon "gudgeon." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/gudgeon.Cite this
@misc{gudgeon_2026,
title = {gudgeon},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/gudgeon},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
