From Medieval Latin gestūra, from Latin gerō, past participle gestus.

• (British) IPA: /ˈd͡ʒɛs.t͡ʃə/
• (America) IPA: /ˈd͡ʒɛs.t͡ʃɚ/, /ˈd͡ʒɛs.t͡ʃɝ/

gesture (plural gestures)

1. A motion of the limbs or body, especially one made to emphasize speech.

   The middle-finger gesture is really a nonverbal swear.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC ↗:

     Grace was in all her steps, heaven in her eye, / In every gesture dignity and love.

2. An act or a remark that serves as a formality or as a sign of attitude.

   We took flowers as a gesture of sympathy.

3. (GUI) A motion made with a pointing device, or on a touchscreen, that is recognised by the system as a command.

   This Web browser can be controlled with mouse gestures.

4. (obsolete) The manner of carrying the body; position of the body or limbs; posture.
   • 1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC ↗:

     Accubation, or lying down at meals, was a gesture used by very many nations.

• French: geste, signe
• German: Geste, Gebärde
• Italian: gesto
• Portuguese: gesto, sinal
• Russian: жест
• Spanish: gesto, ademán

• French: geste
• German: Geste
• Portuguese: gesto
• Russian: жест
• Spanish: gesto, detalle, atención

gesture (gestures, present participle gesturing; simple past and past participle gestured)

1. (intransitive) To make a gesture or gestures.

   My dad told me never to gesture with my hands when I talk.

   Never gesture at someone using your middle finger: it may be perceived as an insult.

2. (transitive) To express (something) by a gesture or gestures.

   He gestured his disgust.

3. (transitive) To accompany or illustrate with gesture or action.
   • 1594–1597, Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC ↗, (please specify the page):

     It is not orderly read, nor gestured as beseemeth.

4. (transitive) To express or signal (to someone) by a gesture or gestures (to do something, go somewhere, etc).
   • 1915, Booth Tarkington, Wednesday Madness, in The Cosmopolitan, page 61:

     […] she sweepingly gestured him to the pillory — a chair upon the platform, facing the school. Here he suffered for the unusual term of an hour, with many jocular and cunning eyes constantly upon him; and, when he was released at noon, horrid shouts […] }}

• ((intransitive) make a gesture) gesticulate

• German: gestikulieren
• Portuguese: gesticular
• Russian: жестикули́ровать

• Portuguese: gesticular