gesticulate

verb

ges·​tic·​u·​late je-ˈsti-kyə-ˌlāt 

gesticulated; gesticulating

intransitive verb

: to make gestures especially when speaking

arguing and gesticulating wildly

gesticulative

je-ˈsti-kyə-ˌlā-tiv 

adjective

gesticulator

je-ˈsti-kyə-ˌlā-tər 

noun

gesticulatory

je-ˈsti-kyə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē 

adjective

Examples of gesticulate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The image of Walz as a giddy schoolgirl gesticulating wildly and panting with enthusiasm for Vice President Kamala Harris is one the Trump campaign has tried to push since August, when Harris confirmed Walz would be her running mate on the 2024 Democratic ticket. —Samantha Riedel, Them, 2 Oct. 2024

In the left frame, Trump is mid-monologue, lips pursed and gesticulating. —Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 11 Sep. 2024

The classroom resounded with snickers, whispers, giggles, snarls, and whoops from the children, and furious commands from the two nuns who gesticulated—quite ineffectually—up by the blackboard, and sometimes, in exasperation, charged down the aisle between the desks to punish a miscreant. —Rosanna Warren, Harper's Magazine, 25 June 2024

Motor or beat gestures can only occur in tandem with speech—think gesticulating to emphasize a point. —Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 19 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin gesticulatus, past participle of gesticulari, from *gesticulus, diminutive of gestus — see gesture entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1609, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

gesticulate

verb

ges·​tic·​u·​late je-ˈstik-yə-ˌlāt 

gesticulated; gesticulating

: to make gestures especially when speaking

gesticulation

-ˌstik-yə-ˈlā-shən

noun