# gander

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɡæn.də(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #33,250

## Definitions
1. A male goose.
2. A fool, simpleton.
3. A glance, look.
4. A man living apart from his wife.

## Etymology
From Middle English gandre, from Old English gandra, ganra (“gander”), from Proto-West Germanic *ganʀō, from Proto-Germanic *ganzô (“gander”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰh₂éns (“goose”). The meaning "a look" is derived from the image of craning one's neck like a goose.
Cognates
Cognate with Dutch gander (“gander”), Low German Gander, Ganner (“gander”), dialectal German Gandert (“gander”), German Ganter (“gander”), Norwegian gasse (“gander”), Icelandic gassi (“gander”). Compare also Lithuanian gañdras (“stork”). Related to goose, gannet.

## Easily confused with
- **garden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-garden)
- **gender** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-gender)
- **gather** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-gather)
- **grande** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-grande)
- **ginger** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-ginger)
- **Gandhi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-gandhi)
- **garner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-garner)
- **Gunner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-gunner)
- **grader** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-grader)
- **glider** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-glider)
- **garter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-garter)
- **Ganges** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-ganges)
- **gawker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-gawker)
- **Gunter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-gunter)
- **girder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-girder)
- **Gardner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-gardner)
- **grinder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-grinder)
- **Genders** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-genders)
- **granger** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-granger)
- **Garnier** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gander-vs-garnier)

## Common misspellings (9)
`agnder`, `gadner`, `gandder`, `ganderr`, `gandre`, `ganedr`, `gannder`, `ggander`, `gnader`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/gander