# Gilbert

/ˈɡɪɫbɝt/ (US) · /ɡˈɪlbət/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/gilbert
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a person's name

noun · CEFR A1

a common name for a man or a family name.

For teachers: a masculine given name of Germanic origin or a common English surname.

- Gilbert was a very popular name for boys in the early twentieth century.
- The historian noted that the Gilbert family had lived in the same village for over three centuries, according to local parish records.

### 2. a unit of magnetic force

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a scientific unit used to measure magnetic force.

For teachers: the CGS unit of magnetomotive force, equivalent to approximately 0.7958 ampere-turns.

- The scientist calculated the magnetic force in gilberts during the experiment.
- While modern engineers typically use ampere-turns, older physics texts may still express magnetomotive force in gilberts.

Usage: Named after the English physicist William Gilbert; often abbreviated as Gb.

## Examples

- Gilbert is the name of my new neighbor.
- The author Gilbert K. Chesterton is famous for his detective stories about a priest named Father Brown.
- While the name Gilbert has declined in popularity since the early twentieth century, it remains a classic choice in many English-speaking countries.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.