gargoyle C2 Topic:Tools, Machines & Construction US /ˈɡɑrɡɔɪl/ UK /ˈɡɑːɡɔɪl/ See IPA manual Freq #26566 Meanings 1 noun a grotesquely carved waterspout that carries rainwater away from a building Rain poured from the stone gargoyle high above the cathedral door. 2 noun a grotesque carved figure used as architectural decoration, whether or not it carries water A row of grimacing gargoyles watched over the roofline. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · a grotesquely carved... waterspout 2 noun · a grotesque carved figure... grotesque Word family Forms gargoyles Derived forms gargoyledgargoylelike Related forms garglegutterwaterspout Etymology From Old French gargouille ("throat, waterspout"), a word imitating a gurgling sound and related to gargle. The projecting carved mouth originally served as the outlet for roof water. Topics Tools, Machines & Construction External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # gargoyle **Type:** Word **Level:** C2 **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /ˈɡɑrɡɔɪl/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈɡɑːɡɔɪl/ **Frequency rank:** 26566 ## Meanings 1. a grotesquely carved waterspout that carries rainwater away from a building 2. a grotesque carved figure used as architectural decoration, whether or not it carries water ## Examples - Rain poured from the stone gargoyle high above the cathedral door. - A row of grimacing gargoyles watched over the roofline. ## Synonyms - grotesque - waterspout ## Derived Forms - gargoyled - gargoylelike ## Related Forms - gargle - gutter - waterspout ## Etymology From Old French gargouille ("throat, waterspout"), a word imitating a gurgling sound and related to gargle. The projecting carved mouth originally served as the outlet for roof water. ## Topics - Tools, Machines & Construction markdown