gallon

UK: ˈɡælən | US: ˈɡælən

Definition
  1. n. a unit of liquid capacity equal to four quarts (approximately 3.785 liters in the US, 4.546 liters in the UK).

Structure
gall <liquid measure>on <noun suffix>
Etymology

The word "gallon" traces back to Old Northern French galon, derived from Late Latin galleta (a liquid measure). The root gall- likely originated from Gaulish or Celtic terms for vessels or containers, reflecting its historical use in trade and agriculture. The suffix -on standardizes it as a noun in English. Over time, the measurement became standardized differently in the US (based on the 18th-century British wine gallon) and the UK (imperial gallon).

Examples
  1. The car's fuel tank holds 12 gallons of gasoline.

  2. She bought a gallon of milk from the supermarket.

  3. This recipe requires half a gallon of water.

  4. The UK imperial gallon is larger than the US gallon.

  5. Gas prices rose to $4 per gallon last summer.