2 N‑UNCOUNT Geriatrics is the study of the illnesses that affect old people and the medical care of old people.
3 N‑COUNT [oft N n] If you describe someone as a geriatric , you are implying that they are old and that their mental or physical condition is poor. This use could cause offence. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ He will complain about having to spend time with such a boring bunch of geriatrics. □ …how can it be acceptable to have a load of geriatric judges deciding what should happen?
germ /dʒɜː r m/ (germs )
1 N‑COUNT A germ is a very small organism that causes disease. □ Chlorine is widely used to kill germs. □ …a germ that destroyed hundreds of millions of lives.
2 N‑SING The germ of something such as an idea is something which developed or might develop into that thing. □ [+ of ] The germ of an idea took root in Rosemary's mind.
3 → see also wheatgerm
Ger|man /dʒɜː r mən/ (Germans )
1 ADJ German means belonging or relating to Germany, or to its people, language, or culture.
2 N‑COUNT A German is a person who comes from Germany.
3 N‑UNCOUNT German is the language spoken in Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland. □ I heard a very angry man talking in German.
ger|mane /dʒɜː r me I n/ ADJ Something that is germane to a situation or idea is connected with it in an important way. [FORMAL ] □ [+ to ] …the suppression of a number of documents which were very germane to the case. □ Fenton was a good listener, and his questions were germane.
Ger|man|ic /dʒɜː r mæ n I k/
1 ADJ If you describe someone or something as Germanic , you think that their appearance or behaviour is typical of German people or things. □ He asked in his Germanic English if I was enjoying France.
2 ADJ Germanic is used to describe the ancient culture and language of the peoples of northern Europe. □ …the Germanic tribes of pre-Christian Europe.
Ge r|man mea |sles N‑UNCOUNT German measles is a disease which causes you to have a cough, a sore throat, and red spots on your skin.
ger|mi|nate /dʒɜː r m I ne I t/ (germinates , germinating , germinated )
1 VERB If a seed germinates or if it is germinated , it starts to grow. □ [V ] Some seed varieties germinate fast, so check every day or so. □ [V n] First, the researchers germinated the seeds. ● ger|mi|na|tion /dʒɜː r m I ne I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] The poor germination of your seed could be because the soil was too cold.
2 VERB If an idea, plan, or feeling germinates , it comes into existence and begins to develop. □ [V ] He wrote to Eliot about a 'big book' that was germinating in his mind. [Also V + into ]
ge rm wa r|fare N‑UNCOUNT Germ warfare is the use of germs in a war in order to cause disease in enemy troops, or to destroy crops that they might use as food. □ …an international treaty banning germ warfare.
ger|on|tol|ogy /dʒe rəntɒ lədʒi/ N‑UNCOUNT Gerontology is the study of the process by which we get old, how our bodies change, and the problems that old people have.
ger|ry|man|der|ing /dʒe rimæ ndər I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Gerrymandering is the act of altering political boundaries in order to give an unfair advantage to one political party or group of people. [DISAPPROVAL ]
ger|und /dʒe rʌnd/ (gerunds ) N‑COUNT A gerund is a noun formed from a verb which refers to an action, process, or state. In English, gerunds end in '-ing', for example 'running' and 'thinking'.
ge|stalt /gəʃtæ lt/ N‑SING In psychology, a gestalt is something that has particular qualities when you consider it as a whole which are not obvious when you consider only the separate parts of it. [TECHNICAL ]
ges|ta|tion /dʒeste I ʃ ə n/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Gestation is the process in which babies grow inside their mother's body before they are born. [TECHNICAL ] □ …the seventeenth week of gestation. □ The gestation period can be anything between 95 and 150 days.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Gestation is the process in which an idea or plan develops. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …the prolonged period of gestation of this design.
ges|ticu|late /dʒest I kjʊle I t/ (gesticulates , gesticulating , gesticulated ) VERB If you gesticulate , you make movements with your arms or hands, often while you are describing something that is difficult to express in words. [mainly WRITTEN ] □ [V ] A man with a paper hat upon his head was gesticulating wildly. □ [V prep] The architect was gesticulating at a hole in the ground. ● ges|ticu|la|tion /dʒest I kjʊle I ʃ ə n/ (gesticulations ) N‑UNCOUNT □ We communicated mainly by signs, gesticulation and mime.
ges|ture ◆◇◇ /dʒe stʃə r / (gestures , gesturing , gestured )
1 N‑COUNT A gesture is a movement that you make with a part of your body, especially your hands, to express emotion or information. □ Sarah made a menacing gesture with her fist. □ He throws his hands open in a gesture which clearly indicates his relief.
2 N‑COUNT A gesture is something that you say or do in order to express your attitude or intentions, often something that you know will not have much effect. □ [+ of ] I wasn't expecting a fortune, just a gesture of goodwill.
3 VERB If you gesture , you use movements of your hands or head in order to tell someone something or draw their attention to something. □ [V prep] I gestured towards the boathouse, and he looked inside. □ [V ] He gestures, gesticulates, and moves with the grace of a dancer. COLLOCATIONS gesture NOUN