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Added 9 October 2026

gulp

/ɡʌlp/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about gulp at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A large and hurried swallow.
he finished it at a single gulp
A spasmodic reflex of the throat made as if in swallowing.

verb

To swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught.
The men gulped down their beers
Utter or make a noise, as when swallowing too quickly.
He gulped for help after choking on a big piece of meat

Origin

From Middle English gulpen, probably from West Flemish or Middle Dutch gulpen, golpen, of uncertain origin. Perhaps of imitative origin, or related to Dutch galpen (“to roar, squeal”), English galp, gaup (“to gape”). Related to German Low German gulpen (“to gush out, belch, gulp”), West Frisian gjalpe, gjalpje, gjealpje (“to gush, spurt forth”), Danish gulpe, gylpe (“to gulp up, disgorge”), dialectal Swedish glapa (“to gulp down”), Old English galpettan (“to gulp down, eat greedily, devour”). More at galp.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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