To gurgle means to make a bubbling or rippling sound, like water flowing unevenly through a pipe or someone's stomach rumbling after a big meal. When you pour juice from a bottle, it often gurgles as air bubbles up through the liquid. A stream gurgles as it flows over rocks, creating that pleasant, musical sound you hear in nature.

Babies gurgle too, making happy, bubbly sounds in their throats before they learn to talk. You might hear your own stomach gurgling when you're hungry or after you've eaten something that doesn't quite agree with you.

The word captures both the sound and the action: gurgle sounds exactly like what it describes. Scientists call this onomatopoeia, when a word imitates the noise it represents. Other examples include buzz, hiss, and splash.

You can use gurgle as a noun too: “I heard the gurgle of the fountain” or “the baby let out a contented gurgle.” The sound is usually gentle and flowing, not harsh or loud. It's the soundtrack of liquids moving around, whether in pipes, brooks, bottles, or bellies.