What Is Gill (Us)?
A gill (US) is a small unit for measuring liquid volume in the United States. It is mostly used for drinks like alcohol. One US gill is equal to 4 US fluid ounces. This is the same as half of a US cup.
In metric units, one US gill is a bit more than 118 milliliters. People do not use it much in daily life now, but you may still see it in old recipes or bar guides.
Definition
- System: US customary system of measurement
- Quantity measured: Volume of liquids
- Exact definition: 1 US gill = 4 US fluid ounces
- In gallons: 1 US gill = 1/32 of a US liquid gallon
- In cups: 1 US gill = 1/2 US cup
- Approximate metric value: 1 US gill ≈ 118.3 milliliters
So if you know the size of a US cup, a gill is simply half of that cup.
History / Origin
The word gill is usually pronounced like “jill”. It comes from old European words that meant a measure for wine or beer. Long ago, people needed easy ways to measure drinks in taverns and kitchens, so many small liquid units were created.
The gill was used in Britain and later in the United States. Over time, the British gill and the US gill became slightly different sizes because the two systems used different fluid ounces and gallons.
In the past, gills were helpful in bars, pubs, and cooking. Today, the unit is mostly historical. Most modern recipes use cups, milliliters, or fluid ounces instead.
Symbol & Abbreviation
- Common name: gill
- Short form: gi or sometimes just gill written out
- Spelling: Always g i l l, and it is not the same as gram which is written g
In modern writing, people often avoid using an abbreviation for gill and write the word gill in full so it is not confused with gram or gallon.
Current Use Around the World
The US gill is not a common everyday unit anymore, but it is still known in some areas.
- United States: Mostly found in old cookbooks, bar tending guides, and some traditional drink recipes. Bars usually use fluid ounces or milliliters now.
- United Kingdom and Ireland: The gill came from older British use, but they now follow the metric system and use milliliters. When gill is used there, it usually means the imperial gill, not the US one.
- Other countries: Most countries follow metric units and do not use the US gill in normal life.
So while the gill still exists as an official unit, you will not see it very often. It is mostly useful for understanding older texts and for converting traditional drink measures.
Example Conversions
Here are some simple conversions for the US gill. All metric values are rounded for easy use.
| US gill | US fluid ounces | Milliliters (mL) | US cups |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 gill | 4 fl oz | ≈ 118 mL | 0.5 cup |
| 2 gills | 8 fl oz | ≈ 237 mL | 1 cup |
| 4 gills | 16 fl oz | ≈ 473 mL | 2 cups = 1 pint |
| 8 gills | 32 fl oz | ≈ 946 mL | 4 cups = 1 quart |
More helpful facts:
- 1 US gill ≈ 0.118 liter
- 1 US pint = 4 US gills
- 1 US quart = 8 US gills
- 1 US gallon = 32 US gills
Conversions with spoons are approximate because spoon sizes can vary.
- 1 US gill ≈ 8 US tablespoons
- 1 US gill ≈ 24 US teaspoons
Related Units
The US gill is closely linked with other US liquid units.
- US fluid ounce (fl oz): The base small unit for liquids. 1 gill = 4 fl oz.
- US tablespoon: Kitchen unit for cooking. 1 fl oz = 2 tablespoons, so 1 gill ≈ 8 tablespoons.
- US teaspoon: Smaller kitchen unit. 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons, so 1 gill ≈ 24 teaspoons.
- US cup: Common cooking unit. 1 cup = 8 fl oz. 1 gill = half a cup.
- US pint: 1 pint = 16 fl oz = 4 gills.
- US quart: 1 quart = 32 fl oz = 8 gills.
- US liquid gallon: 1 gallon = 128 fl oz = 32 gills.
- Imperial gill: Used in the old British system. 1 imperial gill = 5 imperial fluid ounces. It is not the same as the US gill.
FAQs
Is a US gill still used today?
It is rarely used in daily life. You may see it in old recipes, historical books, or some bar tending guides, but most people use fluid ounces or milliliters instead.
How many ounces are in a US gill?
There are exactly 4 US fluid ounces in 1 US gill.
Is a US gill the same as an imperial gill?
No, they are different. A US gill is based on US fluid ounces, and an imperial gill is based on imperial fluid ounces. They have different sizes in milliliters.
How can I picture a US gill?
Think of a normal measuring cup in a US kitchen. One cup holds 8 US fluid ounces. A gill is half of that amount, so it fills the cup to the halfway mark.
Why should I learn about gills if they are not common?
Knowing the gill helps you read old recipes, understand historical writing, and convert measures when you see them in drink or bar guides. It also helps you see how liquid units fit together.