gaga

See also: Appendix:Variations of "gaga"

Languages (26)

English

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Balinese • Barngarla • Central Bikol • French • Ga • Gamilaraay • German • Guugu Yimidhirr • Iban • Indonesian • Isoko • Japanese • Javanese • Kankanaey • Lindu • Lower Tanana • Nauo • Polish • Portuguese • Romanian • Salar • Spanish • Tagalog • Turkish • Yoruba

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Page categories

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡɑːɡɑː/, /ˈɡɑːɡə/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Hyphenation: ga‧ga

Etymology 1

Borrowed from French gaga.

Adjective

gaga (comparative more gaga, superlative most gaga) (informal)

1. Mentally senile.

   The elderly patients in the hospital were going gaga.

2. Crazy.

   You might go gaga if you stare at this screen too long.

   • 1953, Ian Fleming, “The White Tent”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1955, page 138:

     'They're just making it look as if all their big shots were gaga. God knows how they're going to unscramble the whole business.'

   • 1975, Saul Bellow, Humboldt's Gift, Viking, page ??:

     Should he lose it once and for all, he and Kathleen would need lots of money. Also, he had said to me, you could be gaga in a tenured chair at Princeton, and would anybody notice?

3. Infatuated.

   The girls were going gaga over the handsome new boy who joined the class.

Usage notes

• As demonstrated in the example sentences above, gaga is often preceded by the verb go.

Derived terms

• go gaga over

Descendants

• → Translingual: Gaga

Translations

senile

• Bulgarian: изкуфял (bg) (izkufjal)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 老糊涂 (zh) (lǎohútú)

• Czech: senilní (cs)
• Finnish: pöpi (fi), vanhuudenhöperö (fi), hullu (fi)
• French: gaga (fr), neuneu (fr), zinzin (fr), gâteux (fr)
• Georgian: მოხუცი (moxuci)
• German: senil (de), tüdelig (de)
• Latin: senīlis
• Portuguese: gagá (pt), caduco (pt)
• Russian: ста́рческий (ru) (stárčeskij), дря́хлый (ru) (drjáxlyj), сени́льный (ru) (senílʹnyj)
• Spanish: gc-gc, cucú (es)
• Swedish: gaggig (sv)

crazy

• Catalan: boig (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 狂热的, 疯疯癫癫的

• Finnish: pöpi (fi), hullu (fi)
• French: gaga (fr), neuneu (fr), zinzin (fr)
• Georgian: გიჟი (giži), ჭკუაზე შეშლილი (č̣ḳuaze šešlili)
• German: verrückt (de), bekloppt (de), plemplem (de), gaga (de)
• Hiligaynon: buang
• Italian: pazzo (it) m
• Latin: insanus (la) m
• Norwegian: gal (no)
• Portuguese: pirado (pt), biruta (pt), lelé, tantã (pt), abilolado (pt) m
• Russian: слабоу́мный (ru) (slaboúmnyj), вы́живший из ума́ (výživšij iz umá), сумасше́дший (ru) (sumasšédšij), чо́кнутый (ru) (čóknutyj), спя́тивший (ru) (spjátivšij), шизану́тый (ru) (šizanútyj), рехну́вшийся (ru) (rexnúvšijsja)
• Spanish: loco (es), pirado (es), trastornado (es)
• Tagalog: baliw (tl)

infatuated

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 狂热的

• Czech: poblázněný, zblázněný
• Finnish: hullu (fi)
• French: gaga (fr)
• Georgian: მოხიბლული (moxibluli), გაგიჟებული (gagižebuli)
• German: verknallt (de)
• Latin: īnfatuātus
• Russian: очаро́ванный (ru) (očaróvannyj), обалде́вший (ru) (obaldévšij) (colloquial)
• Spanish: enamorado (es)

Etymology 2

Noun

gaga (uncountable)

1. Alternative form of ga-ga (“game resembling dodgeball”).

Balinese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡa.ɡə/
• Hyphenation: ga‧ga

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Old Javanese gagā (“dry field”).

Noun

gaga (Balinese script ᬕᬕ)

1. field

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Old Javanese gāgā, gāgak, gagak (“crow”), from Old Javanese *gakgak (“caw, as a crow; raucous talking of people”). Doublet of gagak.

Noun

gaga (Balinese script ᬕᬵᬕᬵ)

1. crow

Further reading

• “gaga”, in Balinese–Indonesian Dictionary [Kamus Bahasa Bali–Indonesia] (in Balinese), Denpasar, Indonesia: The Linguistic Center of Bali Province [Balai Bahasa Provinsi Bali].

Barngarla

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡaɡa/

Noun

gaga

1. head

References

• Zuckermann, Ghil‘ad (2019). Barngarlidhi Manoo (Speaking Barngarla Together) (Barngarla Alphabet & Picture Book). p.50-56.
  Part 1 Part 2
• Zuckermann, Ghil‘ad and Clamor Wilhelm Schürmann (2018). Online Barngarla Dictionary.
• Zuckermann, Ghil‘ad (2016). Barngarla Aboriginal Language Dictionary App.
  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.regenr8.dictionary.barngarla
  https://apps.apple.com/au/app/barngarla/id1424856161
• Goldsworthy, Anna (2014), Voices of the land: In Port Augusta, an Israeli linguist is helping the Barngarla people reclaim their language, The Monthly.

Central Bikol

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Spanish gaga.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡaɡa/ [ˈɡa.ɡa]
• Hyphenation: ga‧ga

Noun

gága (Basahan spelling ᜄᜄ)

1. (vulgar, offensive) feminine of gago

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡaʔɡaʔ/ [ˈɡaʔ.ɡaʔ]
• Hyphenation: ga‧ga

Verb

gâgâ (plural garaga, Basahan spelling ᜄᜄ)

1. (Naga) to boil

   Synonym: laga

Derived terms

• gagaon
• maggaga
• paggaga

See also

• bulad-bukad
• kala-kaga
• labon
• lauya
• sangkutsa
• sapna

French

Etymology 1

Reduplication of the base of gâteux (“senile”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡa.ɡa/

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

gaga (plural gagas)

1. (informal) gaga (senile)

   Synonyms: fou, foufou, gâteux, neuneu, zinzin

2. (informal) gaga (crazy)

   Synonyms: fou, foufou, neuneu, zinzin

3. (informal) gaga (infatuated)

Descendants

• → English: gaga
• ⇒ Italian: gagà
• → Portuguese: gagá
• → Romanian: gaga
• → Spanish: gagá

Etymology 2

From Occitan gagas, from Latin gagates

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡa.ɡa/
• (Saint-Étienne) IPA^(key): [ɡaɡɑ], IPA^(key): [ɡaɡɒ]

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

gaga (plural gagas)

1. (relational, Saint-Étienne dialect, Auvergne, informal) Stéphanois, of Saint-Étienne.

   Synonym: stéphanois

Derived terms

• parler gaga

Related terms

• gagasse

Noun

gaga m or f (plural gagas)

1. (Saint-Étienne dialect, informal) Stéphanois, person living in Saint-Étienne.

   Synonym: Stéphanois

2. (linguistics, by ellipsis) the parler gaga, a French variety spoken in the French city of Saint-Étienne, the North of the Forez and around.

   Synonym: parler gaga

See also

• gône

Further reading

• “gaga”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Ga

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡaɡa/

Noun

gaga (plural gagai)

1. any ant with large mandibles, such as a soldier ant or driver ant

See also

• tsatsu
• tsatsutsuru
• gbense

Gamilaraay

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡaɡa/

Noun

gaga

1. wine

References

• (2017) Giacon J Gamilaraay-Yuwaalaraay Dictionary Supplement

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɡaɡa]
• Hyphenation: ga‧ga

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

Adjective

gaga (strong nominative masculine singular gagaer, not comparable)

1. (predicative, colloquial) gaga

Further reading

• “gaga”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎^[1] (in German)
• “gaga” in Duden online
• “gaga” in Duden online

Guugu Yimidhirr

Etymology

Cognate with Kuku-Yalanji kaka (“sore, achey, bad tasting food, salt water”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡaɡa/

Adjective

gaga

1. sweet
2. salty
3. sour
4. poisonous

Synonyms

• dyirrun

References

• Haviland, John B. (1979), “Guugu Yimidhirr”, in R. M. W. Dixon & Barry J. Blake, editor, Handbook of Australian languages, volume 1, Canberra: ANU Press, →DOI, page 176

Iban

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡaɡa/
• Hyphenation: ga‧ga

Adjective

gaga

1. happy

Derived terms

• pengaga

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡaɡaʔ/
• Hyphenation: ga‧ga

Verb

gaga

1. make, do

Indonesian

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈɡaɡa/ [ˈɡa.ɡa]
• Rhymes: -aɡa
• Syllabification: ga‧ga

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Javanese ꦒꦒ (gaga, “dry field”), from Old Javanese gagā (“non-irrigated rice-field”).

Noun

gaga (plural gaga-gaga)

1. (agriculture) dry field

   Synonym: huma

Alternative forms

• gogo

Derived terms

• gaga rancah

Related terms

• pegagan

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

gaga (plural gaga-gaga)

1. (zoology) blubberlip snapper, Maori snapper, blue-spotted seaperch, Maori bream, Maori seaperch, multi-coloured snapper, scribbled snapper, speckled snapper, yellowfin snapper (Lutjanus rivulatus)

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Malay [Term?] (Rokan Hilir)

Adjective

gaga (comparative lebih gaga, superlative paling gaga)

1. unable to stand [since 2024]

Etymology 4

Borrowed from Malay [Term?] (East Kalimantan)

Verb

gaga

1. to occupy oneself by holding everything in sight (about toddlers) [since 2025]

Further reading

• “gaga”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Isoko

Adverb

gaga

1. a lot

Japanese

Romanization

gaga

1. Rōmaji transcription of がが

Javanese

Romanization

gaga

1. romanization of ꦒꦒ

Kankanaey

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡaɡa/ [ˈɡaː.ɡʌ]
• Rhymes: -aɡa
• Syllabification: ga‧ga

Noun

gága

1. act of chewing, munching, masticating

Derived terms

• gagaen

References

• Morice Vanoverbergh (1933), “gága”, in A Dictionary of Lepanto Igorot or Kankanay. As it is spoken at Bauco (Linguistische Anthropos-Bibliothek; XII)‎^[2], Mödling bei Wien, St. Gabriel, Österreich: Verlag der Internationalen Zeitschrift „Anthropos“, →OCLC, page 155
• Allen, Larry (2021), “gága”, in Kankanaey – English Dictionary, Summer Institute of Linguistics

Lindu

Adverb

gaga

1. very

Lower Tanana

Etymology

From Proto-Athabaskan *ɢeˑɢə. Compare Dena'ina ggagga (“grizzly bear”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kækæ/, /qæqæ/

Noun

gaga (possessed form gaga', gage')

1. animal
2. creature

Derived terms

• tu gaga' (“waterfowl”)
• ts'edzegak/ts'edzegaga/ts'ets'egaga (“chickadee”)
• tetl gage' (“little brown bat”)

References

• Kari, James et al. (2024), Kari, James, editor, Lower Tanana Dene Dictionary, Fairbanks, Alaska: Alaska Native Language Center, →ISBN, page 177

Nauo

Noun

gaga

1. head

References

“Nauo Wordlist”, in Mobile Language Team, (Can we date this quote?)

Polish

Etymology

Onomatopoeic.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡa.ɡa/
• Rhymes: -aɡa
• Syllabification: ga‧ga

Noun

gaga f

1. (Sieradz, childish) boo-boo

   Synonym: ziazi

   Nie dotykaj tego, bo zrobisz sobie gagę!

   Don't touch that or you will give yourself a boo-boo!

Declension

Declension of gaga

	singular	plural
nominative	gaga	gagi
genitive	gagi	gag
dative	gadze	gagom
accusative	gagę	gagi
instrumental	gagą	gagami
locative	gadze	gagach
vocative	gago	gagi

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈɡa.ɡɐ/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈɡa.ɡɐ/ [ˈɡa.ɣɐ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈɡa.ɡɐ/ [ˈɡa.ɣɐ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈɡa.ɡɐ/

• Rhymes: -aɡɐ
• Hyphenation: ga‧ga

Noun

gaga f (plural gagas)

1. female equivalent of gago

Adjective

gaga

1. feminine singular of gago

Further reading

• “gaga”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French gaga.

Adjective

gaga m or f or n (indeclinable)

1. (informal) gaga (senile)

Declension

Declension of gaga (invariable)

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative- accusative	indefinite	gaga		gaga	gaga	gaga
	definite	—		—	—	—
genitive- dative	indefinite	gaga		gaga	gaga	gaga
	definite	—		—	—	—

Salar

Noun

gaga (3rd person possessive [please provide], plural [please provide])

1. brother

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡaɡa/ [ˈɡa.ɣ̞a]
• Rhymes: -aɡa
• Syllabification: ga‧ga

Noun

gaga f (plural gagas)

1. female equivalent of gago

Adjective

gaga f

1. feminine singular of gago

Tagalog

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Spanish gaga, feminine form of gago.

Alternative forms

• g*ga — bowdlerization

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈɡaɡa/ [ˈɡ̠aː.ɣ̠ɐ]
• Rhymes: -aɡa
• Syllabification: ga‧ga

Adjective

gaga (Baybayin spelling ᜄᜄ) (vulgar, derogatory)

1. feminine of gago

Derived terms

• kagagahan

Noun

gaga (Baybayin spelling ᜄᜄ) (vulgar, derogatory)

1. feminine of gago

Etymology 2

Compare Malay gagah (“compulsive force; dominant; masterful; strong”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ɡaˈɡa/ [ɡ̠ɐˈɣ̠a]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: ga‧ga

Noun

gagá (Baybayin spelling ᜄᜄ)

1. usurpation; unlawful seizure (of power, rights, property, etc.)

   Synonym: pangangagaw

2. rape (use of force to submit to a sexual act)

   Synonyms: gahasa, paggahasa

3. gag (something thrust into the mouth to restrain speech)

   Synonym: busal

4. (obsolete) ban; prohibition

Derived terms

• gagahan
• gagahin
• gumaga
• ipanggaga
• kapanggagahan
• manggaga
• manggagaga
• mapanggaga
• paggaga
• panggagahan

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ɡaˈɡaʔ/ [ɡ̠ɐˈɣ̠aʔ]
• Rhymes: -aʔ
• Syllabification: ga‧ga

Noun

gagâ (Baybayin spelling ᜄᜄ) (obsolete)

1. restlessness; mischief

Derived terms

• gagaan
• gumaga
• kagagaan
• magaga
• maggaga
• manggaga
• paggagaan
• panggagaan

See also

• pakana

Etymology 4

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ɡaˈɡaʔ/ [ɡ̠ɐˈɣ̠aʔ]
• Rhymes: -aʔ
• Syllabification: ga‧ga

Noun

gagâ (Baybayin spelling ᜄᜄ) (obsolete)

1. name of the Baybayin letter ᜄ, corresponding to "ga"

See also

• ga

Etymology 5

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈɡaɡaʔ/ [ˈɡ̠aː.ɣ̠ɐʔ]
• Rhymes: -aɡaʔ
• Syllabification: ga‧ga

Noun

gagà (Baybayin spelling ᜄᜄ) (botany, obsolete)

1. a type of nettle

Further reading

• “gaga”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018
• Noceda, Fr. Juan José de; Sanlucar, Fr. Pedro de (1860), Vocabulario de la lengua tagala, compuesto por varios religiosos doctos y graves, y coordinado por…, ultimamente aumentado y corregido por varios religiosos de la Orden de Agustinos calzados.‎^[3] (overall work in Spanish and Classical Tagalog), Manila: Ramírez y Giraudier.
• San Buena Ventura, Fr. Pedro de (1613), Vocabulario de lengua tagala. El romance castellano puesto primero. Primera, y segunda parte.‎^[4] (overall work in Early Modern Spanish and Classical Tagalog), as directed by Gov. Gen. Juan de Silva, Pila, Laguna: La noble Villa de Pila, por Tomás Pinpin y Domingo Loag.
  • page 327: “G) Gaga (pc) letra del abeçedario tagalog .|. gaga yaon .|. ᜄ . otra . G . tienen eſtos que llamamos gangoſa, eſcriueſe . g̃ . | ᜅ.”
  • page 371: “Inuencion) Gaga (pp) o traça”
  • page 582: “Traça) Gaga (pp) o inuentiba”

Anagrams

• agag, ag-ag

Turkish

gagalar

Etymology

Inherited from Ottoman Turkish غاغا.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

gaga (definite accusative gagayı, plural gagalar)

1. bill, beak

Declension

Declension of gaga

	singular	plural
nominative	gaga	gagalar
definite accusative	gagayı	gagaları
dative	gagaya	gagalara
locative	gagada	gagalarda
ablative	gagadan	gagalardan
genitive	gaganın	gagaların

Derived terms

• gagalamak
• leylekgagası
• turnagagası

See also

• tumşuk

References

• Redhouse, James W. (1890), “غاغا”, in A Turkish and English Lexicon‎^[5], Constantinople: A. H. Boyajian, page 1334

Yoruba

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡá.ɡà/

Noun

gágà

1. (rare) eyeglasses, goggles, sunshade

   Synonym: ìgò