gorge

gorge · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*gʷerh₃-“to devour, swallow; to eat”
2. Latin · derived fromgurges“eddy, whirlpool; gulf; sea”
3. Vulgar Latin · derived from*gorga
4. Old French · derived fromgorge“throat”
5. Middle English · inherited fromgorge“esophagus, gullet; throat; bird's crop; food in a hawk's crop; food or drink that has been eaten”
6. English todaygorge

From Middle English gorge (“esophagus, gullet; throat; bird's crop; food in a hawk's crop; food or drink that has been eaten”), a borrowing from Old French gorge (“throat”) (modern French gorge (“throat; breast”)), from Vulgar Latin *gorga, *gurga, from Latin gurges (“eddy, whirlpool; gulf; sea”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *gʷerh₃- (“to devour, swallow; to eat”). The English word is cognate with Galician gorxa (“throat”), Italian gorga, gorgia (“gorge, ravine; (obsolete) throat”), Occitan gorga, gorja, Portuguese gorja (“gullet, throat; gorge”), Spanish gorja (“gullet, throat; gorge”). Doublet of gour and gurges.

gorge · verb, noun²

1. Old French · derived fromgorger
2. Middle English · inherited fromgorgen“to eat greedily; to gorge”
3. English todaygorge

The verb is derived from Middle English gorgen (“to eat greedily; to gorge”), a borrowing from Old French gorger, gorgier (modern French gorger (“to eat greedily; to gorge”)), from gorge (“throat”); see further at etymology 1. The noun is derived from the verb.

gorge · adjective³

Clipping of gorge(ous); originally British slang.

Words from the same roots