ˈgal(ə)rē, -ri noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle French galerie, from Medieval Latin galeria, probably alteration of galilea, galilaea galilee — more at galilee
1.
a. : a covered space more or less open at the sides for walking : a roofed promenade : ambulatory , portico , colonnade
b. : a main corridor with windows running continuously on one side in an English country house
2.
a. : a platform or passageway above ground level resembling a corridor, projecting from an outside wall, and open at the outer edge or having there only a rail or balustrade : balcony ; also South & Midland : porch , veranda
b. : a similar raised platform or passageway on the roof of a building
c.
(1) : a platform at the quarter or around the stern of a ship — see quarter gallery , stern gallery
(2) : a gun platform or gun emplacement on a ship or aircraft carrier
d. : a raised usually railed walk (as around the upper part of a large engine) to facilitate oiling or inspection
3.
a. : a long and narrow passage, apartment, or corridor
b. : a horizontal or nearly horizontal subterranean passageway (as in a cave or excavated part of a military mining system) ; also : a working drift or level in mining
c. : a sunk or cut passageway in a fortification that is covered overhead as well as at the sides
d. : a passageway either within the thickness of a wall or projecting on corbels or between a main wall and an arcade (as in the front or flank of a Gothic church)
e. : a passage made underground by an animal (as a mole or ant) or in wood by an insect (as a beetle larva)
f. : burrow 2
g. : an artificial chamber provided for the collection of groundwater
4.
a. : a room, series of rooms, wide corridor, or building devoted to the exhibition of works of art
sculpture displayed in the north gallery
also : a long room or unusually wide corridor used for exhibitions or special ceremonials
b. : an institution devoted to the collection and exhibition of works of art
the National Gallery
c. : a business establishment devoted to the exhibition and sale of works of art
a new gallery showing modern prints
d. : rogues' gallery
e. : a collection or aggregation (as of varied specimens of one kind of thing) worthy of being put on display as if in a gallery
what a gallery of men these are who line Ireland's Hall of Fame — Saturday Review
the rich gallery of characters in this novel — H.S.Canby
the world's gallery of attractive animals — W.E.Swinton
in portraying his gallery of grotesques — Bergen Evans
cameramen pick up a gallery of faces of every age, shade, and nationality — Newsweek
his gallery of humors varies — Encyc. Americana
5.
a. : a platform projecting from one or more interior walls (as of a church or theater) for additional accommodation (as of a part of a congregation or audience) or for special use ; especially : the highest of such platforms in a theatre commonly having the cheapest seats
b. : the occupants of a gallery ; especially : the part of a theater audience that is seated in the top gallery or in the cheapest seats
c. : a part of the general public lacking the discriminating taste of the connoisseur
d. : a body of spectators (as at a tennis match) or listeners (as at a debate)
6. : any of several netted openings in court tennis below the side penthouse — see winning gallery
7.
a. : a small ornamental barrier or railing (as along the edge of a table or shelf)
b. : an often ornamental ring to support a lampshade or globe
c. : a bandlike jewelry setting usually with a pierced or raised design
8. : shooting gallery ; especially : an indoor shooting range
9. : a photographer's studio
10. : an upper-floor area open to and projecting over a lower-floor area of a house
Synonyms: see balcony