gargoyle

IPA/ˈɡɑːɡɔɪl/
KK[ɡˈɑrɡˌɔɪl]IPA/ˈɡɑːrɡɔɪl/

gargoyle — noun

  • gargoylesingular
  • gargoylesplural

1. A stone carving of an ugly or strange human or animal shape, fixed to the roof o

1.nounC1
Definition

A stone carving of an ugly or strange human or animal shape, fixed to the roof or wall of an old building such as a church. It has a hollow channel inside so that rainwater flows through its open mouth and away from the walls.

Example

Bilal pointed at the stone gargoyle on the cathedral and asked how rainwater flowed from its mouth.

gargoyle + on + [building] — location pattern

The old gargoyle's mouth was blocked by leaves, so water poured straight down the wall.

blocked gargoyle mouth — water damage consequence

Common collocations
  • stone gargoyle
  • gargoyle on the roof
  • gargoyle spout
  • broken gargoyle
  • medieval gargoyle
Synonyms
  • waterspout

    Describes the drainage function without the carved figure; more technical and less common in general language.

  • grotesque

    Technically refers to a decorative carving with no water-spout function; often used interchangeably with gargoyle in casual speech.

Grammar Patterns

gargoyle + on + [building]

gargoyle + of + [animal/creature]

Usage Note

The word gargoyle technically applies only to figures that carry rainwater away. Non-functional decorative carvings are called grotesques, though the distinction is often blurred in everyday use.

Common Mistakes

The gargoyle is a type of dinosaur from the Jurassic period.
A gargoyle is a stone carving on a building.
Gargoyles are architectural features, not prehistoric animals.
The gargoyle scared away evil spirits from the village.
The gargoyle directs rainwater away from the church walls.
The main purpose of a gargoyle is drainage, not spiritual protection.

2. A strange or ugly stone shape of a human or animal, put on a building as a decor

2.nounC1
Definition

A strange or ugly stone shape of a human or animal, put on a building as a decoration and not used for draining water.

Example

Dewi bought a stone gargoyle from the museum shop for her desk.

The garden wall had grinning gargoyle heads with no water spout behind them.

decorative gargoyle vs functional waterspout

Common collocations
  • decorative gargoyle
  • stone gargoyle
  • gargoyle figure
  • carved gargoyle
  • gargoyle head
Synonyms
  • grotesque

    The preferred architectural term for a decorative carved figure that has no water-spout function. Used to distinguish from true gargoyles.

  • chimera

    A specific type of grotesque that combines body parts from different animals; famous examples sit on Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Grammar Patterns

gargoyle + of + [creature]

gargoyle + on + [building]

Usage Note

In everyday speech, gargoyle is often used for any grotesque stone carving on a building, even when it does not channel rainwater. Architects and art historians prefer the term grotesque for non-functional figures.

Common Mistakes

All gargoyles drain water from the roof.
Only some gargoyles drain water; others are purely decorative.
The defining feature of a true gargoyle is its water-spout function, but the word is often used loosely for any carved monster on a building.

Word family

  • gargoyled
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Gargoyle, grotesque, chimera, and waterspout all refer to carved stone features on buildings, but their meanings differ. A gargoyle is a functional waterspout — water drains through its mouth, protecting the walls from rain damage. A grotesque (also called a 'gargoyle' in loose everyday use) is a decorative stone carving with no water function; it exists purely for ornament. A chimera is a subtype of grotesque that mixes body parts from different animals, like the famous hybrid creatures on Notre-Dame Cathedral. A waterspout is simply the drainage pipe or nozzle, without any carved figure. In casual conversation, people use 'gargoyle' for all of these, but architects and art historians maintain the technical distinction.

gargoyle ↗grotesque ↗chimera ↗waterspout

Common collocations

Nouns

Prepositions

Etymology

Old FrenchLatinEnglish

Gargoyle comes from the Old French word gargouille, meaning 'throat' or 'gullet'. The name describes the gurgling sound (gargouiller — to gurgle) that water makes as it passes through the figure's throat. This same root gave English the word 'gargle'. The Latin ancestor gurgulio ('gullet, windpipe') may also be connected to 'gargantuan', though that link is debated by linguists.

First known use

13th century

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a