gate

1 of 4

noun (1)

1
: an opening in a wall or fence
2
: a city or castle entrance often with defensive structures (such as towers)
3
a
: the frame or door that closes a gate
b
: a movable barrier (as at a grade crossing)
4
a
: a means of entrance or exit
c
: an area (as at a railroad station or an airport) for departure or arrival
d
: a space between two markers through which a competitor must pass in the course of a slalom race
5
a
: a door, valve, or other device for controlling the passage especially of a fluid
b(1)
: an electronic switch that allows or prevents the flow of current in a circuit compare base entry 1, drain entry 2, source entry 1
(2)
: an electrode in a field-effect transistor that modulates the current flowing through the transistor according to the voltage applied to the electrode compare drain, source
c
: a device (as in a computer) that outputs a signal when specified input conditions are met
logic gate
d
: a molecule or part of a molecule that acts (as by a change in conformation) in response to a stimulus to permit or block passage (as of ions) through a cell membrane
6
slang : dismissal
used in the phrases get the gate and give one the gate
If he does get the gate, expect him to have another job in the league by lunchtime.Bill Williamson
The boss gave him the gate after one too many unexcused absences.
7
: the total admission receipts or the number of spectators (as at a sports event)

gate

2 of 4

verb

gated; gating

transitive verb

1
British : to confine to a campus or dormitory
2
: to supply with a gate
3
: to control with a gate

gate

3 of 4

noun (2)

1
archaic : way, path
2
dialect : method, style

-gate

4 of 4

noun combining form

ˌgāt
: usually political scandal often involving the concealment of wrongdoing
Irangate

Examples of gate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The wilderness preserve tends to get busy on weekends during peak viewing and may close its gates midday due to capacity limits, so plan accordingly. John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 The gate to the upper portion of the park, located at Rundill and Uppill roads, will be open from 1-4 p.m. The first 300 guests will receive free eclipse glasses. Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 18 Mar. 2024 The researchers fabricated an integrated circuit about 28 square millimeters in size that possesses 1,056 transistors, 528 logic gates, and an operating speed of more than 1 megahertz. IEEE Spectrum, 17 Mar. 2024 Mercyhurst University will also be opening its gates to the public for free eclipse-viewing from its Saxon Stadium. Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024 The company is starting hot out of the gate, signing a first-look deal with New Line Cinema for its feature film projects. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024 Arriving at the airport on time, making it through security, and flagging down your gate can be stressful enough when traveling. Ali Faccenda, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2024 Disneyland was the second-most visited theme park in the world in 2022 with 16.8 million people coming through the gates, according to a report by the Themed Entertainment Association and AECOM. Amy Taxin, Quartz, 12 Mar. 2024 The home sits behind private gates and has a large motor court with immaculate landscaping and a central fountain. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2024
Verb
The gardens feature mostly native and drought-tolerant plantings, ideal for the often arid Southern California climate, and naturally the entire property is walled and gated for privacy and security. James McClain, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2024 Also, the courts will be gated and locked after hours to prevent anyone from playing between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Feb. 2024 Widebody gates, as the name implies, require more room, and those tend to be further out or at the ends of the concourses because there’s more space for those larger aircraft, Cornelius explained. Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 16 Feb. 2024 While the house itself is not gated, the property lies within a 24/7 guarded community with frequent patrols and a plethora of security cameras. James McClain, Robb Report, 31 Jan. 2024 Perhaps Pitchfork matters today because its arc parallels that of the internet itself, from nerdy and amateurish to grown-up, worldly, and inclusive, to now gated off in a Babel of AI-age confusion. Marc Hogan, Rolling Stone, 18 Jan. 2024 Walled and gated, the impressive estate lies high in the foothills above downtown Montecito, at the very end of a quiet and secluded cul-de-sac. James McClain, Robb Report, 12 Jan. 2024 The other two, on Rocky Point Drive and Trestles Street, will be gated and accessible only to Fire Department vehicles. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Dec. 2023 History shows that even the strongest walls built to gate off empires, nations and cities—Hadrian’s Wall in Britain, the Great Wall of China and the Berlin Wall—eventually become ruins. Robert Thorson, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English geat; akin to Old Norse gat opening

Noun (2)

Middle English, borrowed from Old Norse gata, going back to North and West Germanic *gatōn- (whence also Middle Low German gate "lane, street," Old High German gazza), East Germanic *gatwōn- (whence Gothic gatwo "street"), etymon of uncertain origin

Noun combining form

Watergate

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gate was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near gate

Cite this Entry

“Gate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gate. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gate

noun
ˈgāt
1
: an opening in a wall or fence
2
: a city or castle entrance often with defensive structures
3
: the frame or door that closes a gate
4
: a means of entrance or exit
5
: a door, valve, or other device for controlling the passage of fluid
6
: the total admission receipts or the number of spectators especially at a sports event

Medical Definition

gate

1 of 2 noun
: a molecule or part of a molecule (as an amino acid sequence in a protein) that acts (as by a change in conformation) in response to a stimulus to permit or block passage through a cell membrane

gate

2 of 2 transitive verb
gated; gating
: to control passage through a cell membrane by way of (a specific channel) by supplying a specific stimulus
a transmembrane ion channel gated by the neurotransmitter acetylcholine
see ligand-gated, voltage-gated

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