gestural
/ˈdʒes.tʃər.əl/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Using gestures, or related to gestures and body movements. It often describes communication, acting, or signs made with the hands or body.
- Her gestural style made the story easy to follow.
- He gave a gestural reply instead of speaking.
- The actor used gestural expression to show fear.
Adinary Nuance
Gestural is closer to gesture-based or body-language-like than to general words like physical or expressive. Writers use it when the movement itself carries meaning, not just the action. It sounds a little formal, so it fits description, analysis, and academic writing better than everyday speech.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- bằng cử chỉ
- Spanish
- gestual
- Chinese
- 手势的
- Japanese
- ジェスチャーの
- Korean
- 몸짓의
Etymology
Gestural comes from gesture, which entered English from Latin gestura, meaning 'a carrying' or 'a manner of carrying oneself'. The adjective developed in modern English to describe things done by gesture.
Common phrases
gestural communicationgestural languagegestural expression
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is gestural formal or informal?
- It is slightly formal. People use it more in writing, analysis, and academic contexts.
- What is the difference between gestural and physical?
- Gestural means done with gestures or body movement. Physical is much broader and does not always involve communication.
- Can I use gestural for speech?
- Yes, if you mean communication through gestures instead of words.