What does gesticulated mean?
Gesticulated is the past tense and past participle of gesticulate, a verb meaning “to make expressive movements of the hands, arms, or body.” It is especially associated with people who gesture while speaking, although such movements may also be used to communicate silently. The word can describe ordinary conversational gestures, such as indicating direction or emphasizing a point, but it may also carry a mildly critical implication when someone's movements seem unusually energetic or theatrical. In formal writing, it conveys more than simply “moved,” because it highlights the expressive communicative purpose of the gesture. Gesticulated is therefore useful for describing visible, purposeful physical communication and for giving vivid accounts of a speaker's manner, temperament, or emotional intensity.
verb (past tense and past participle of gesticulate)Made expressive movements of the hands, arms, or body, especially while speaking or emphasizing a point.
- To make expressive or emphatic movements of the hands, arms, or body.
"The lecturer gesticulated emphatically as he explained the complex idea."
"Both witnesses gesticulated while describing the argument."
"She gesticulated wildly as she tried to explain what had happened."
Gesticulated comes from a Latin diminutive meaning “little gesture”—a fitting origin for movements that can make a whole conversation more animated.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gesticulated come from?
The word comes from Latin gesticulatus, the past participle of gesticulari, meaning “to make gestures.” Latin gesticulus was a diminutive of gestus, “gesture” or “deed,” and ultimately relates to gerere, “to do” or “carry out.” English borrowed the Latin verb in the early 17th century; gesticulate, gesticulation, and gesticulatory belong to the same Latin family.
How gesticulated is actually used
The word is neutral in its basic descriptive use but can suggest that someone's movements were conspicuous, excessive, or theatrical. It is usually associated with speech, though it can also describe physical movements made to communicate silently.