a movable barrier, usually on hinges, closing an opening in a fence, wall, or other enclosure.
an opening permitting passage through an enclosure.
a tower, architectural setting, etc., for defending or adorning such an opening or for providing a monumental entrance to a street, park, etc..
the gates of the walled city;
the palace gate.
any means of access or entrance.
The gate to stardom is talent.
a mountain pass.
any movable barrier, as at a tollbooth or a road or railroad crossing.
a gateway or passageway in a passenger terminal or pier that leads to a place for boarding a train, plane, or ship.
a sliding barrier for regulating the passage of water, steam, or the like, as in a dam or pipe; valve.
Skiing.
an obstacle in a slalom race, consisting of two upright poles anchored in the snow a certain distance apart.
the opening between these poles, through which a competitor in a slalom race must ski.
the total number of persons who pay for admission to an athletic contest, a performance, an exhibition, etc.
the total receipts from such admissions.
Cell Biology. a temporary channel in a cell membrane through which substances diffuse into or out of a cell.
Movies. film gate.
a sash or frame for a saw or gang of saws.
Metallurgy.
Also called ingate. a channel or opening in a mold through which molten metal is poured into the mold cavity.
the waste metal left in such a channel after hardening.
Electronics.
a signal that makes an electronic circuit operative or inoperative either for a certain time interval or until another signal is received.
Also called logic gate. a circuit with one output that is activated only by certain combinations of two or more inputs.
(at British universities) to punish by confining to the college grounds.
Electronics.
to control the operation of (an electronic device) by means of a gate.
to select the parts of (a wave signal) that are within a certain range of amplitude or within certain time intervals.
give (someone) the gate,
to reject (a person), as one's fiancé, lover, or friend.
to dismiss from one's employ.
They gave him the gate because he was caught stealing.
get the gate, to be dismissed, sent away, or rejected.
Archaic. a path; way.
North England and Scot.. habitual manner or way of acting.
a movable barrier, usually hinged, for closing an opening in a wall, fence, etc
an opening to allow passage into or out of an enclosed place
any means of entrance or access
a mountain pass or gap, esp one providing entry into another country or region
the number of people admitted to a sporting event or entertainment
the total entrance money received from them
(in a large airport) any of the numbered exits leading to the airfield or aircraft
passengers for Paris should proceed to gate 14
horse racing short for starting gate
electronics
a logic circuit having one or more input terminals and one output terminal, the output being switched between two voltage levels determined by the combination of input signals
a circuit used in radar that allows only a fraction of the input signal to pass
the electrode region or regions in a field-effect transistor that is biased to control the conductivity of the channel between the source and drain
a component in a motion-picture camera or projector that holds each frame flat and momentarily stationary behind the lens
a slotted metal frame that controls the positions of the gear lever in a motor vehicle
rowing a hinged clasp to prevent the oar from jumping out of a rowlock
a frame surrounding the blade or blades of a saw
to provide with a gate or gates
to restrict (a student) to the school or college grounds as a punishment
to select (part of a waveform) in terms of amplitude or time
the channels by which molten metal is poured into a mould
the metal that solidifies in such channels
a way, road, street, or path
a way or method of doing something
What does -gate mean? The combining form -gate is used like a suffix meaning “scandal (often resulting from a concealed crime)” or "controversy." It is often used in informal terms, especially in politics and journalism. The form -gate comes from a shortened form of Watergate, a reference to the White House political scandal that came to light during the 1972 presidential campaign. The scandal centered on a break-in at the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate apartment-office complex in Washington, D. C., and, after congressional hearings, culminated in the resignation of President Nixon in 1974.
First recorded before 900; Middle English gat, gate, geat, Old English geat (plural gatu ); cognate with Low German, Dutch gat “hole, breach”; cf. gate 2
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English gate, gat, gata, from Old Norse gata “path, way, road,” Old High German gazza, German Gasse “lane, alley”; perhaps akin to Old English geat gate 1; cf. gat 3
A gate is a moveable barrier that closes or opens a gap in a wall or fence. A garden gate might swing on rusty hinges, when closed helping to keep deer away from your vegetables. A pasture gate keeps cattle or horses safe inside a fence, and if you visit someone who lives in a gated community, you'll have to be buzzed in before the gate opens to allow you inside. You'll also find gates at the airport — they're the areas with doors leading out to the airplane. The Old English source of gate is geat, "gate, door, opening, or passage."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The man appeared unresponsive and the yard was fenced, with a locked gate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
“Now, it’s coming in our area, both on ammunition and on rocket motors for missiles and so on. And that is opening up the gate of further investments.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
But in fact, all children benefit from a shift away from the "showing-off culture" at the school gate at the end of term, which can make them anxious, she says.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
The pros included a vast support network of friends and neighbors, 24/7 security guards stationed at the entrance gate, and scenic lakes, swimming pools and tennis courts throughout her development.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 12, 2026
Chase got out and closed the gate behind them, then climbed back into the cab.
From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith
That's far from the only scandal to rock the world of curling: The sport was also hit with two doping scandals during the 2010 Paralympics, and created another "-gate" scandal with 2009's "Dumpgate."
From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2022
Meanwhile, Nixon still hovers in the dark shadows of American history, the jowly-faced villain tattooed on Roger Stone’s back, and his signature scandal has provided shorthand for every other -gate scandal that’s followed.
From New York Times ● Feb. 15, 2022
At a time when the U.S. president is facing impeachment — and the -gate suffix seems ubiquitous — the stage for the exhibition is a found object in its own right.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 14, 2019
People are talking about “threadfefes”, apparently, although the lack of a clear meaning makes the suffix harder to apply than, say, -gate.
From The Guardian ● May 31, 2017
Wick′et-door, -gate, a wicket; Wick′et-keep′er, in cricket, the fieldsman who stands immediately behind the wicket.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various
Some wore red clothing, ski masks or hoodies and Cooper said festival security personnel failed to intervene and instead closed two gates that could have provided an escape route.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
And, perhaps most memorably significant, the Trojan Horse is discovered half-submerged on the beach, and not outside Troy’s gates on wheels.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
“Through these gates pass the best shipbuilders in the world,” reads a sign at the 142-year-old Bath Iron Works, which builds for the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Organizers needed 30 minutes to get things set back up and kept entry gates shut, prompting the impatient among the crowds to press forward on metal barricades.
From Barron's ● Jul. 5, 2026
No— since the moment the cold gates snapped behind me, metal against metal.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
In mid-February, a trust bought a 5,000-square-foot home listed for $2.4 million in a gated community in Denton County, according to the appraisal district and the seller’s real estate agent.
From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026
LAKESIDE, Mont.— David Fetveit, a third-generation Montanan, is looking forward to the opening of Territory 1889 Golf & Lake Club, a luxury gated community of 359 homes rising in this corner of Big Sky Country.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Set back from the main road behind a gated driveway, the dwelling sits on close to 10 acres, ensuring that the A-list duo was able to enjoy ample privacy whenever they were at home.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 4, 2026
At the same time, the organization is racing to raise $10 million by the end of July to protect a swath of land along the lake’s north shore from becoming a gated community.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
From the gated entrance, it looked like a working farm.
From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple
The spinal cord contains "gating" circuits that normally suppress mechanical itch signals, allowing them to pass through only under specific conditions.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026
PSPOs replace earlier measures such as designated public place orders, gating orders, and dog control orders.
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026
The funds started gating their exits and giving investors smaller and smaller prorated portions of the cash investors sought.
From Barron's ● Mar. 17, 2026
The platform has “age gating requirements,” she said, and its marketing isn’t focused specifically on college students.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 6, 2026
The poor fiscal stood gating at the vacant place where she had stood, as if the sun of his existence had set.
From Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, Vol. II. by Stephens, John L.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
