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Definition of gainesville
gainesville
/ˈɡeɪnzvɪl/
gaines · ville
gainesville Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
6
Tier
2
Usage
Top 10k
• noun
1
American A major city in northern Florida, United States, serving as the county seat of Alachua County and renowned globally as the home of the University of Florida.
Example
"She moved to Gainesville to pursue her graduate studies at the university."
2
American A city in northern Georgia, United States, located near Lake Lanier and known regionally as a major center for the poultry processing industry.
Example
"They spent the weekend boating on Lake Lanier, just a short drive from Gainesville."
• Rhymes for gainesville
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the surname 'Gaines' combined with the French suffix '-ville' meaning 'town' or 'city'. The prominent city in Florida is named after General Edmund Pendleton Gaines, a United States Army officer.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Gainesville. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/gainesville