gate
UK[ɡeɪt]US[ɡeɪt]
n
A hinged barrier used to close an opening in a wall, fence, or hedge.
n
An exit or entrance, especially at an airport.
n
The number of people who pay to attend a sports event.
Etymology
The English word 'gate' descends directly from the Old English 'geat,' meaning an opening, gap, or passage. This term is of Germanic origin, related to Old Norse 'gat' (opening, passage) and is traced back to the Proto-Germanic 'gatą.' The core concept has consistently centered on an opening for passage. While the physical form has evolved from simple gaps to complex hinged barriers, the fundamental meaning of a controlled point of entry or exit remains. The modern, abstracted uses, such as referring to airport terminals or event attendance figures, are logical extensions from this primary sense of a point of access.
Analysis
The word 'gate' is a simplex word of Old English origin. It functions as a free morpheme, a complete word in itself.
Examples
He swung the garden gate open and walked down the path.
Our flight is boarding at Gate B12.
Tonight's concert had a gate of over ten thousand people.