Gash Names a Wound by Its Sound
A gash is a long deep cut. The word probably imitates the noise of a slashing blow.
A gash is a long deep cut or wound. The word came through Old French from Greek *kharassein*, to engrave or sharpen, which also gives *character* — originally a mark scratched into a surface. So a gash in the skin and a character in a novel descend from the same act of cutting a mark. English has an unusually large stock of wound words, each naming a different shape of injury.
- A deep cut. *A nasty gash.*
- To cut deeply. *Gashed his hand.*
- Character — the same root. *A character.*
- Slash — a near synonym. *A slash.*
- Greek — *kharassein*, to engrave. *The root.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | gash | A gash. |
| Plural | gashes | Gashes. |
| Verb | gash | Gashed. |
| Related | character | A character. |
| Greek | kharassein | To engrave. |
- The rock left a gash in the hull.Damage.
- He gashed his knee falling.Injury.
- Character shares the root.Etymology.
English words for wounds
- Gash — long and deep
- Graze — shallow, scraping the surface
- Laceration — a ragged tear, the medical term
- Puncture — narrow and deep
- Contusion — a bruise, with the skin unbroken
Old French *garser*, to scarify, from Greek *kharassein*, to engrave or sharpen.
Are gash and character related?
Yes. Both come from a Greek verb meaning to engrave. A character was originally a mark scratched into a surface.
What is the difference between a gash and a laceration?
A gash is a long deep cut. A laceration is the medical term for a ragged tear in the skin.