gig
GHIG
/ɡɪɡ/
A live performance by a musician or group; informal work or engagement.
Widely used by musicians for any paying or public performance engagement.
The story behind the word. The word 'gig' emerged in the 1920s among African American jazz musicians. It referred to a single musical job or engagement. Over decades, it expanded into general slang for short-term jobs, giving rise to the modern 'gig economy.'
Word relationships
- concert: Concert sounds formal and large-scale, whereas gig is casual and flexible in scale.
- show: Show is neutral, while gig often connotes the performer's perspective on working an event.
Commonly confused with
- tour: A gig is a single event performance, whereas a tour is a series of gigs in multiple cities.
Word family
- gigs (noun): Plural form of gig.
- gigging (verb): Performing live at various venues.
Collocations
- live gig
- book a gig
- paying gig
- gig economy
Example sentences
- "The band played a small gig at the local downtown club before booking their national tour." Musician Interview
Memory hook
GIGgles and fun at a weekend live show. A live playing job.
When not to use
Avoid in highly formal academic essays where 'engagement' or 'concert' is preferred.
Fun facts
- The term was first documented in print in 1926 in the jazz magazine 'Melody Maker'.
Also appears in
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