gallon

American  

[gal-uhn] / ˈgæl ən /

noun

1. a common unit of capacity in English-speaking countries, equal to four quarts, the U.S. standard gallon being equal to 231 cubic inches (3.7853 liters), and the British imperial gallon to 277.42 cubic inches (4.546 liters). gal.

---

gallon British  

/ ˈɡælən /

noun

1. Also called: imperial gallon.  a unit of capacity equal to 277.42 cubic inches. 1 Brit gallon is equivalent to 1.20 US gallons or 4.55 litres

2. a unit of capacity equal to 231 cubic inches. 1 US gallon is equivalent to 0.83 imperial gallon or 3.79 litres

3. (plural) great quantities

---

gallon Scientific  

/ găl′ən /

1. A unit of liquid volume or capacity in the US Customary System equal to 4 quarts (3.79 liters).

2. See Table at measurement

---

Etymology

Origin of gallon

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English galo(u)n, gallon, from Old North French galon, derivative from base of Medieval Latin gallēta “jug, bucket,” of uncertain origin

Compare meaning

How does gallon compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• gallon vs. liter
• pint vs. gallon

Example Sentences

Since the start of the war, the average price of a gallon of diesel in California has hit $7.26.

From Los Angeles Times

Four dollars for a gallon of gasoline is a critical threshold for consumers’ mindset, according to fuel-industry experts.

From MarketWatch

The national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gas is now $3.98, according to AAA, up from $2.98 one month ago.

From Barron's

That has been particularly hard in places like Los Angeles, where gas prices have topped $6 a gallon.

From The Wall Street Journal

Already, Wall Street has boosted its inflation expectations and pulled back bets on interest-rate cuts, while average U.S. gasoline prices tracked by AAA hover near $4 a gallon.

From The Wall Street Journal