Word
Definitions
01physical movement
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express an idea or meaning.
n. a physical motion of the limbs or body used to communicate or emphasize a thought or feeling.
“He made a small gesture with his hand to show that he was finished.”
“The speaker used an expansive hand gesture to emphasize the scale of the project during the presentation.”
02symbolic action
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. something you do to show a particular feeling or intention, even if it doesn't change the situation much.
n. an action performed to convey a specific intention, attitude, or social formality.
Español:gesto
“Sending flowers was a kind gesture after they helped her move house.”
“The company's donation was seen as a symbolic gesture of goodwill toward the local community after the recent controversy.”
Synonyms
03touchscreen command
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Computing
n. a specific movement you make on a screen or with a mouse to tell a computer what to do.
n. a specific motion made on a touchscreen or with a pointing device that a system interprets as a command.
“You can use a swiping gesture to delete emails on your phone.”
“The latest operating system update introduced several new multi-touch gestures to improve navigation between open applications.”
04to signal with the body
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to move your hands or head to tell someone something or to show them where to go.
v. to use physical motions to communicate a message or to direct someone's attention.
“The waiter gestured toward an empty table in the corner of the restaurant.”
“She gestured for him to remain silent while the recording was in progress.”
Usage
often followed by a preposition like 'to' or 'toward'
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “gesture” in context.
Verb
01. appreciate the gesture
“Even though I couldn't accept the gift, I really appreciated the gesture.”
verb + noun
02. interpret a gesture
“It is easy to misinterpret a gesture if you are not familiar with the local culture.”
verb + noun
03. make a gesture
“He made a rude gesture at the driver who cut him off in traffic.”
verb + adj + noun
Adjective
04. empty gesture
“Critics dismissed the politician's apology as an empty gesture to win votes.”
adj + noun
05. kind gesture
“Sending flowers to the hospital was a very kind gesture that cheered her up.”
adj + noun
06. symbolic gesture
“Lowering the flags to half-mast was a powerful symbolic gesture of mourning.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. gesture of defiance
“The athlete raised his fist in a gesture of defiance against the new rules.”
noun + of + noun
08. gesture of goodwill
“The company offered a refund as a gesture of goodwill after the delay.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
09. with a gesture
“With a quick gesture of his hand, the waiter signaled that our table was ready.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“He made a heart shaped gesture with his hands and waved to supporters before being led out of the court.” “He gestured at one point, a waved arm that suggested he wasn't over-burdened with runners ahead of him.” Etymology
From Medieval Latin gestūra (“a mode of action”), from Latin gerō (“to bear; (reflexive) bear oneself, behave, act”), past participle gestus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/gesture
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0