WordGarden.iogammon
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɡˈæmən/
US
- /ˈɡæmən/
Meanings
Noun
cured or smoked pork from a pig's hind leg
a backgammon win before the opponent has borne off any pieces
a derogatory British label for a reactionary, typically older white man
Verb
to beat an opponent by a gammon in backgammon
Beyond the definition
Imagine walking into a British pub. On the menu, you might see gammon with eggs: a thick slice of cured pork. But in British speech, the word can also point to nonsense, empty talk, or flattery that is not meant honestly. If someone is "talking gammon," they are trying to fool, charm, or impress people with words that should not be taken too seriously. You might hear it about a person making grand claims, a speaker dressing up a weak story, or someone trying to win trust with smooth but false praise. In everyday use, it has a slightly old-fashioned British flavor.
Gammon has several British uses, and the meaning depends a lot on context. The most literal meaning is food: cured pork from the hind leg, often sold as a steak or joint and commonly served in the UK. In older and traditional British English, it also means nonsense, humbug, or deceitful talk. It can describe words that are meant to mislead, distract, or flatter rather than tell the truth. In that sense, someone may "give you gammon" by feeding you a story that sounds impressive but does not hold up.
There is also a related verbal use in older English: to flatter, fool, or trick someone. That is why the noun can cover both the false talk itself and the act of trying to win someone over with it. This use is now much less common than the food sense, and when it appears, it often feels dated or strongly British.
In modern UK political slang, gammon has developed another meaning. It can be used as an insult for an angry, usually older, right-wing white man, with the image partly tied to a flushed pink face that recalls the color of cured ham. That use is modern, controversial, and strongly tied to British politics and media. So across its main uses, the word can refer to a cut of meat, to nonsense or dishonest talk, or, in modern political language, to a particular type of person being mocked.
Examples
- 1
Dinner
We had gammon and eggs for dinner.
- Usage
gammon is mainly British English for a type of cured pork
- 2
Pub meal
The pub serves gammon steak with pineapple and chips.
- 3
Sunday lunch
She bought a small joint of gammon for Sunday lunch.
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- gammonnoun