gait

noun \ ˈgāt \

Updated on: 28 Nov 2017

Definition of gait

1 : a manner of walking or moving on foot

2 : a sequence of foot movements (such as a walk, trot, pace, or canter) by which a horse or a dog moves forward

3 : a manner or rate of movement or progress

the leisurely gait of summer

See gait defined for English-language learners

See gait defined for kids

Examples of gait in a Sentence

They were orthopedic shoes built around molds of my feet, and they had a 2 1/4-inch lift. … they had given me a more or less even gait for the first time in 10 years. —Henry Louis Gates, Jr., New York Times Magazine, 9 Dec. 1990
Interaction with the horse takes place on several levels. Physical communication is foremost. You learn its body language and it learns to respond to a body language you use to ask for changes in gait, direction, and body frame. —Maxine Kumin, In Deep, 1987
How many prose writers can you identify from their style? Not many have that singular emanation from the temperament or those combinations of words all of them characteristic for a certain gait, a certain tone, a certain idiosyncratic consecutiveness of thought and image. —Paul West, New York Times Book Review, 15 Dec. 1985
He walked with an odd gait, a kind of shuffle, pushing his feet along the floor without lifting them. —E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime, (1974) 1975
They walked on with the same light gait, so nearly of a height that keeping step came as naturally to them as breathing. —Edith Wharton, The Reef, 1912
He has an awkward gait.

Recent Examples of gait from the Web

Range of motion and pain control measures begin as soon as the surgeon approves, in which stretching the Achilles/calf muscle is crucial in order to normalize gait (JOSPT 2008).

— colin hoobler, OregonLive.com, "A deeper dive on rash of Portland Timbers injuries," 4 Nov. 2017
This includes cervical spine exam (including range of motion, pain), evaluation of speech, observation of gait i.e. walk in a straight line, eye movements and pupillary exam.

— david humphrey, star-telegram, "Here’s how the NFL’s concussion protocol works," 2 Nov. 2017
An investigation found the aide failed to use a gait belt when helping the resident to the bathroom, as required by facility policy.

— courant.com, "Six Nursing Homes Fined Following Resident’s Abuse, Care Lapses," 31 Oct. 2017
One walked across the room with a prosthetic leg strapped to her right knee, testing how the responsive machinery anticipated her gait.

— rosanna xia, latimes.com, "Caltech opens a drone lab, with big ideas to improve how robots work with humans," 24 Oct. 2017
At each visit, the child would walk with the exoskeleton while researchers studied his or her gait.

— emily matchar, Smithsonian, "This Robotic Exoskeleton Helps Kids With Cerebral Palsy Walk Upright," 7 Sep. 2017
My body became a mold-meter: Entering a moldy building, my teeth chattered or my gait stiffened.

— julie rehmeyer, Slate Magazine, "How to Assess Internet Cures Without Falling for Dangerous Pseudoscience," 12 June 2017
Watson barely even limped inside the locker room one day after suffering a major knee injury during a routine running play in a non-contact practice; his gait not revealing the severity of the situation.

— aaron wilson, Houston Chronicle, "Texans try to remain optimistic after anguish of Deshaun Watson injury," 3 Nov. 2017
War Machine’s main visual joke—and maybe the funniest joke in the movie, which tells you something—is Pitt’s slow, bowlegged jogging gait, suggesting a man who believes sheer determination can make up for a complete lack of grace.

— joshua keating, Slate Magazine, "Brad Pitt’s first film for Netflix is a perfectly timed satire. If only it were a good movie.," 24 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gait.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of gait

originally spelling variant of ³gate

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1509

See Words from the same year

Other Equestrian Terms

canter, cantle, curry, farrier, hunter, paddock, router, skirt, tack

gait

verb \ ˈgāt \

Definition of gait

transitive verb

1 : to train (a horse or a dog) to use a particular gait or set of gaits (see ¹gait 2)

2 : to lead (a show dog) before a judge to display carriage and movement

intransitive verb

: to walk with a particular gait (see ¹gait 1)

Examples of gait in a Sentence

Patricia Craige, who has guided Norwegian elkhounds to the final at Westminster eight times, gaited Ch. Vin-Melca's Bombardier to breed honors. —Walter R. Fletcher, New York Times, 13 Feb. 1991
As he watched the flashy dogs gaiting in the rings, he knew in his heart that he wanted to show dogs. Seeing the different breeds was thrilling. —Jacqueline Fraser, Dog Fancy, Sept. 1991

Recent Examples of gait from the Web

The training club helps handlers get their dogs comfortable with stacking (physically placed in their proper stance) and gaiting (lapping around the show ring to show judges their trot).

— anne gelhaus, The Mercury News, "Santa Clara dog training club breeds connections between its members," 15 Feb. 2017