English word origin

Etymology of gib

Unknown (14th century). Perhaps abbreviated from Gilbert, the name of the cat in the medieval fables of Reynard the Fox, Romaunt of the Rose, and so on.

5 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 5 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

A castrated male cat or ferret. · A male cat; a tomcat. · A hooked prolongation on the lower jaw of a male salmon or trout. · The lower lip of a horse.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Unknown (14th century). Perhaps abbreviated from Gilbert, the name of the cat in the medieval fables of Reynard the Fox, Romaunt of the Rose, and so on.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

A strip, wedge, or bolt made from metal or wood and used for holding a machine part in place; usually with features (such as a taper and/or set screws) that allow for fine adjustment of the part's position.

verb

To fasten in place with a gib.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Unknown (late 18th century).

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗

noun

A piece of a fragged character, most often in first-person shooters. · An instance of gibbing something.

verb

To destroy an in-game object so that it turns into gibs. · To be turned into gibs.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Shortened from giblet.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗

noun

plasterboard.

verb

To install plasterboard.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From the trademark GIB, registered by Fletcher Building Holdings Limited, the major brand of plasterboard in New Zealand.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 5

Original entry ↗

noun

A benefit or handout.

verb

To give.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Pronunciation spelling of give

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for gib →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-Z2li