gig

1 of 9

noun (1)

ˈgig 

plural gigs

: a job usually for a specified time

especially : an entertainer's engagement see also gig economy, gig worker

gig

2 of 9

verb (1)

gigged; gigging

intransitive verb

: to work as a musician

gigged with various bands

—Downbeat

gig

3 of 9

noun (2)

: gigabyte

gig

4 of 9

noun (3)

1

a

: a long light ship's boat

b

: a rowboat designed for speed rather than for work

2

: a light 2-wheeled one-horse carriage

3

: something that whirls or is whirled: such as

a

: a 3-digit selection in a numbers game

b

obsolete : top, whirligig

4

: a person of odd or grotesque appearance

gig

5 of 9

verb (2)

gigged; gigging

intransitive verb

: to travel in a gig

gig

6 of 9

noun (4)

1

: a pronged spear for catching fish

2

: an arrangement of hooks to be drawn through a school of fish in order to hook their bodies

gig

7 of 9

verb (3)

gigged; gigging

transitive verb

1

: to spear with a gig

2

a

chiefly Western US : spur, jab

b

: goad, provoke

intransitive verb

: to fish with a gig

gig

8 of 9

noun (5)

: a military demerit

gig

9 of 9

verb (4)

gigged; gigging

transitive verb

: to give a military gig to

Examples of gig in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In a study conducted by Branch, a workforce payment platform, 61% of respondents who engage in gig work rely on it as their primary income, up from 21% in 2021. —Jason Leverant, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024

Four months after Deadline revealed that Francesca Gardiner was one of three finalists to win the prize to reboot the classic kids franchise for the small screen, the Succession consulting producer for Seasons 3 and 4 won the showrunner gig. —Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 20 Nov. 2024

Verb

And research suggests that in fact Uber and Lyft brought more private cars onto city streets, partly because drivers acquired new ones to gig for the platforms. —Wired Staff, WIRED, 20 Nov. 2024

The trombone-playing bandleader was gigging out with Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra, New Guard and NOLAZ by early 2021. —Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 17 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

Noun (3)

Middle English -gyge (in whyrlegyge whirligig), of unknown origin

Noun (4)

short for earlier fizgig, fishgig, of unknown origin

Noun (5)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1926, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

1937, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1987, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb (2)

1807, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

1722, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (3)

1803, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (5)

circa 1941, in the meaning defined above

Verb (4)

circa 1941, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing gig

• gig economy
• gig worker

Kids Definition

gig

1 of 3 noun

ˈgig 

1

: a long light boat

2

: a light two-wheeled one-horse carriage

gig

2 of 3 noun

: gigabyte

gig

3 of 3 noun

: a job for a specified time

especially : an entertainer's job for a specified time