# gust

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɡʌst/ · frequency rank #25,398

## Definitions
1. A strong, abrupt rush of wind.
2. Any rush or outburst (of water, emotion, etc.).

## Etymology
Apparently from an unrecorded Middle English *gust, from Old Norse gustr (“a gust, blast”), from Proto-Germanic *gustiz, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰew-. Cognate with Icelandic gustur (“gust of wind”). Related also to Old Norse gusa (“to gush forth”), Old High German gussa (“flood”), Middle English guschen (> English gush).
The English word was not recorded before Shakespeare.

## Easily confused with
- **guy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gust-vs-guy)
- **gut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gust-vs-gut)
- **guys** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gust-vs-guys)
- **guts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gust-vs-guts)
- **gusts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gust-vs-gusts)
- **gusto** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gust-vs-gusto)
- **gutsy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gust-vs-gutsy)
- **gusty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gust-vs-gusty)
- **Gustav** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gust-vs-gustav)
- **GS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gs-vs-gust)
- **GU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gu-vs-gust)
- **get** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/get-vs-gust)
- **got** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/got-vs-gust)
- **gas** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gas-vs-gust)
- **gun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gun-vs-gust)
- **GPS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gps-vs-gust)
- **gum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gum-vs-gust)
- **Gus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gus-vs-gust)
- **GST** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gst-vs-gust)
- **git** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/git-vs-gust)

## Common misspellings (4)
`ggust`, `gsut`, `gustt`, `ugst`

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