ENGLISH
REFERENCE

gait

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˈɡeɪt// UK //ɡˈeɪt// gait Dialect

n. the way a person or animal walks. It describes the rhythm, speed, and style of their steps.

n. a person's manner of walking, or the specific sequence of foot movements used by a quadruped. Often used to describe the distinctive physical style or pace of movement.


SIMPLE

The doctor watched the patient's gait to check for balance issues.

CONTEXTUAL

He recognized his sister from a distance simply by her energetic, bouncing gait.

COMPLEX

The horse's smooth, rhythmic gait made it an ideal choice for long-distance travel across the uneven mountain trails.

Synonyms
Origin

From a specialised use of gate (“way, manner, behaviour, habit", properly "way, path, street, journey”), from Middle English gate (“way, path, road, street”), from Old Norse gata (“path, lane, alley, road”), from Proto-Germanic *gatwǭ (“passageway, street”). Doublet of gate.

Usage

Commonly modified by adjectives describing speed or style, such as 'shuffling', 'steady', or 'clumsy'.

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