Other forms: gels, gelling, gelled
Gel is a thick clear substance that holds hair stiff. Hair gel, a blob of gel, gel it back.
In chemistry it means something exact: a liquid held inside a solid network, which is why it keeps its shape and still feels wet. Jelly, toothpaste and contact lenses are all gels. As a verb, to gel means to come together — the team gelled.
1noungelA thick clear substance used to hold hair in place.
“He put some gel in his hair to make it stand up.”
2verbtogetherTo come together successfully.
“The new team didn't gel at first, but after a few weeks they worked brilliantly.”
gel is a substance.
Coined in the nineteenth century as a shortening of gelatin, from Latin gelare, to freeze or set.
Proto-Indo-European
*gel- — cold
Latin
gelatus
Italian
gelatina
French
gélatine
English, today
gel
Built from
Clipping of gelatin. coined by Thomas Graham in the mid 19th century as a a clipping of gelatin, from French gélatine, from Italian gelatina, diminutive form of gelato (“iced”), from Latin gelatus, past participle of gelo (“to freeze”), from gelu (“frost”), from Proto-Indo-European gel- (“cold”). For the meaning development compare with сту́день (“aspic, jelly, gel”) related to студёный (“cold”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA