noun

gig

gihg

noun

A single performance booking for a musician or entertainer.

"The band played a gig at the local pub on Friday."

Any job, especially short-term, freelance, or on-demand work.

"He picked up a few delivery gigs to make extra money."

verb

To perform live as a musician or entertainer.

"The band has been gigging around the city for years."

How to Use Gig

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA performance booking or, more broadly these days, any short-term or freelance job.

Common pairings

play a gig gig economy side gig

Word Forms

gigged past tense, gigged past tense, gigged past tense, gigs plural, gigs plural, gigs plural, gigs plural, gigs singular, gigs singular, gigs singular

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The band played a _____ at the local pub on Friday.

Etymology

Origin uncertain, though possibly related to Old French gigue, "a fiddle."