GULF, a broad and capacious bay comprehended between two promontories, and sometimes taking the name of a sea when it is very extensive; but particularly when it only communicates with the sea by means of a strait. Such are the Euxine or Black sea, otherwise called the Gulf of Constantinople; the Adriatic sea, called also the Gulf of Venice; the gulf of Sidra near Barbary; and the gulf of Lyons near France. All these gulfs are in the Mediterranean. There are, besides, the gulf of Mexico, the gulf of St. Lawrence, and the gulf of California, which are in North America. There are also the gulf of Persia, otherwise called the Red sea, between Persia and Arabia; the gulf of Bengal in India; and the gulfs of Cochinchina and Kamtschatka, near the countries of the same name.
The word comes from the French gosse, and that from the Italian gossa, which signify the same. Some deduce these further from the Greek γαστρος; which Guithart again derives from the Hebrew גוב gob. Du Cange derives them from the barbarous Latin gustum, or gussur, which signify the same thing.