What does gorge mean?
Gorge is a vivid word with two principal uses. As a noun, it denotes a narrow, deep ravine or valley, especially one cut by a river and bordered by steep cliffs. The word appears frequently in descriptions of dramatic landscapes, hiking routes, and scenic landmarks. As a verb, gorge means to eat greedily or consume something in large quantities, often to the point of satiation. “Gorge oneself on” is a familiar construction, while the noun also has an older literary sense meaning the throat or gullet. Although gorge and ravine overlap in meaning, gorge tends to emphasize depth, steepness, and visual drama. The word is also memorable for its history: it descends through Old French from Latin gurges, originally referring to the throat or gullet. Its later geographical sense developed by extending the idea of a narrow passage to the land itself. This history makes gorge both a precise geographical term and a word with a striking shift in meaning.
A narrow, deep ravine or valley, usually with steep sides; in archaic or literary use, the throat or gullet.
"They descended into the gorge, where the river sounded faintly beneath them."
The ravine sense is standard in both British and American English; the throat sense is chiefly literary or archaic.
To eat greedily or consume something in large quantities.
"The hungry travelers gorged themselves on bread, cheese, and fruit."
Commonly used with “oneself” or followed by “on” and a food or resource.
The regular plural of the noun is “gorges,” as in “the region has several dramatic gorges.”
"Two gorges separated the village from the main highway."
From the throat to the ravine: gorge began as a word for the gullet before it became a landmark.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of gorge
English borrowed the word from Old French gorge, which came from Latin gurges, meaning “throat” or “gullet.” The English noun initially referred to the throat or related part of the body, and its geographical sense of a steep-sided ravine developed later from the idea of a narrow passage. The verb meaning “to eat greedily” developed from the idea of filling the throat or gullet. The word is related to gurgle, which preserves the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How gorge is actually used
As a noun, gorge is common in British and American English and often suggests a strikingly steep or deep feature. The sense meaning “throat” is mainly literary or archaic. As a verb, it can describe eating greedily and is often used with “oneself” or in the construction “gorge on.”
Easily confused with gorge
A gorge is a steep-sided ravine or valley, whereas a gouge is a deep cut made by a tool or an act of scooping something out.