# gel

> English word · Noun · IPA /d͡ʒɛl/ · frequency rank #9,046

## Definitions
1. A semi-solid to almost solid colloid of a solid and a liquid, such as jelly, cheese or opal.
2. Any gel intended for a particular cosmetic use, such as for styling the hair.
3. A film of flexible transparent plastic (such as acetate, celluloid, or cellophane) suitable for making superimpositions or diapositives (image to overlay on other images, especially for overhead projectors); a digital virtual equivalent of this.

## Etymology
Coined by Thomas Graham in the mid 19th century as a clipping of gelatin, from French gélatine, from Italian gelatina, diminutive form of gelata (“iced”), from Latin gelata, past participle of gelo (“to freeze”), from gelu (“frost”), from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“cold”).
For the meaning development compare with Russian сту́день (stúdenʹ, “aspic, jelly, gel”) related to студёный (studjónyj, “cold”).

## Easily confused with
- **go** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-go)
- **GM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-gm)
- **GF** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-gf)
- **GP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-gp)
- **gi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-gi)
- **GS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-gs)
- **GR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-gr)
- **gg** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-gg)
- **GL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-gl)
- **GU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-gu)
- **GH** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-gh)
- **get** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-get)
- **got** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-got)
- **god** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-god)
- **guy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-guy)
- **gun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-gun)
- **gym** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-gym)
- **GOP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-gop)
- **GPS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-gps)
- **gut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gel-vs-gut)

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