WordGarden.iogallon
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /ɡˈælən/
US
- /ˈɡælən/
Meanings
Noun
a unit for measuring liquid volume
a very large amount, especially of liquid
Beyond the definition
Imagine filling up your car's gas tank or picking up a big container of milk at the store. In both cases, this word names a unit for measuring liquid. It is larger than a quart, and people often use it for gasoline, water, milk, paint, and other everyday liquids. In the United States, it means about 3.8 liters, but in the United Kingdom, it means about 4.5 liters, so the size is not always the same in every place.
A gallon is a unit of volume that is most often used to measure liquids. Think about buying milk at the grocery store: you may see a half-gallon or a full gallon. It is a common everyday measure for gasoline, water, paint, cider, and other liquids.
The story is a little more complex than that, though, because there is not just one kind. The US gallon is about 3.785 liters, while the Imperial gallon, used in the United Kingdom, is about 4.546 liters. That difference matters when people compare fuel use, recipes, or product sizes across countries.
In the past, the size of this measure could change depending on what people were selling. There were different versions for wine and for dry goods, and a dry gallon was once used for things like grain, though that use is now rare. Over time, these measures became more standardized. So whether you are filling a car, buying milk, or reading a label, this word points to a familiar way of measuring volume, with a long history behind it.
Examples
- 1
Groceries
We bought a gallon of milk on the way home.
- 2
Fuel prices
Gas was over four dollars a gallon last weekend.
- Patternprice + a gallon
price for each gallon
- 3
Fuel economy
This car gets about thirty miles per gallon on the highway.
- Phrasemiles per gallon
how far a car can go using one gallon of fuel
- 4
Painting
We went through three gallons of paint before the house was finished.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Large amounts
He drinks water by the gallon when he's training in the summer.
- Phraseby the gallon
in very large amounts
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- gallonnoun
Forms
- gallonspluralnoun