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gulf

(gŭlf)

1. Abbr. G. A large area of a sea or ocean partially enclosed by land, especially a long landlocked portion of sea opening through a strait.

2. A deep, wide chasm; an abyss.

3. A wide gap, as in understanding: "the gulf between the Victorian sensibility and our own" (Babette Deutsch).

4. Something, such as a whirlpool, that draws down or engulfs.

tr.v. gulfed, gulf·ing, gulfs

To engulf.

[Middle English goulf, from Old French golfe, from Old Italian golfo, from Late Latin colpus, colfus, from Greek kolpos, bosom, gulf.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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