To gambol means to run, jump, and play around in a lively, carefree way. Picture lambs in spring leaping through a meadow, or puppies bouncing around a yard with pure joy. When children gambol across a playground during recess, they skip, hop, and frolic with energy and happiness, their movements full of bounce and delight.

The word captures a specific kind of movement: playful, bouncy, and full of life. You might see squirrels gamboling through fallen leaves in autumn, or watch dolphins gamboling in ocean waves. When you gambol, you're moving with such happiness that it shows in every hop and leap.

While you can use play or frolic to describe similar behavior, gambol suggests something especially bouncy and energetic. It's the kind of movement that makes other people smile just watching it happen.