English Reference
Noun

gasket

n.
C1 Advanced US /ˈɡæskət/ UK /ɡˈɑːskɪt/ gas·ket UK spelling gaskets

n.a thin ring or strip of material that you put between two parts to stop them from leaking. It keeps liquids or gases from escaping where they are joined.

n.a flexible ring or strip of material, such as rubber or metal, used to seal the joint between two surfaces. It prevents the escape of fluids or gases and maintains a tight seal under pressure.


SIMPLE

The car engine needs a new gasket to stop the oil from leaking.

CONTEXTUAL

The mechanic replaced the faulty gasket on the boiler to prevent steam from escaping into the kitchen.

COMPLEX

In high-performance aerospace engineering, the integrity of the turbine housing relies on a specialized ceramic gasket that can withstand extreme temperatures without deforming.

There are trade-offs to this approach if you’re used to the standard glass and aluminum sandwiches filled with glue, gaskets, and teeny-tiny screws.

Ars Technica· 4 Sept 2026

Perhaps from Middle French garcette (“gasket”), from Old French garce (“young woman”), feminization of garçon.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Old French garce
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated