What does gatepost mean?
Gatepost is a concrete noun for one of the upright supports that form the sides of a gate. In ordinary use, it refers less to the movable barrier itself than to the fixed posts that hold or frame it, so the word is useful when a speaker or writer wants to emphasize the structure, boundary, or condition of an entrance. A gatepost may be made of wood, stone, or metal, and it can be described as crooked, weathered, sturdy, or damaged. The term is used similarly in British and American English and carries no strong emotional or social connotation. It belongs to a small group of transparent compound nouns made from familiar words: gate identifies the kind of opening, while post identifies the vertical member. Knowing gatepost therefore helps distinguish the fixed framework from the gate itself and makes descriptions of entrances more precise.
nounA gatepost is one of the upright posts that form the sides of a gate, supporting it and marking the opening. The word is used particularly when the fixed structural support, rather than the movable gate itself, is being discussed.
- One of the fixed upright posts forming the sides of a gate.
"She waited by the gatepost until someone inside opened the gate."
"The latch was broken, but the gatepost was still firm."
"Moss had grown along the old stone gatepost beside the garden path."
The regular plural is gateposts.
"The two gateposts were connected by a sagging wooden rail."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gatepost come from?
Gatepost is an English compound formed from gate and post. Gate continues Old English gata, meaning a barrier or opening, while post comes through Old French from Latin post and developed the sense of a stake or upright support. The compound names the supporting upright at the side of a gate; Dutch hekpaal provides a close parallel meaning “gate post,” while gateway and postage show how the English roots continued in other compounds.
Related word forms
How gatepost is actually used
The term is neutral and generally concrete. It is used similarly in British and American English and is especially appropriate when the condition, position, or supporting role of the post matters.
Easily confused with gatepost
A doorpost supports or frames a door, whereas a gatepost forms the side of a gate and supports the movable barrier across an entrance.