Slang dictionary
gib
or gibbing [jihb] or [gihb]
What does听gib mean?
Gib, short for听giblets, is gaming slang for violently killing a foe in a way that blows them up or otherwise scatters their body parts.
Where does gib come from?
The delightful term听gib comes from the equally delightful word听giblets, referring the edible organs of a fowl, i.e., their guts. Gib, as it’s used in video games, similarly references someone’s insides. Gibs are the result of what gamers call an overkill or critical hit鈥�they make a foe’s body parts explode in different directions.
Tis the season to be gibbing.
Tune in for the Gearsmas 2017 Reveal Trailer at 10am PT tomorrow for the reveal of our events and content for this year's festivities! 馃憡
— Gears of War (@GearsofWar)
The term is said to be coined by Adrian Carmack, one of the people who worked on the 1993 computer game Doom.听Gibs are prominently featured in the game and were later a topic of discussion in gaming forums like GameFAQs.
Doom Wiki / Fandom
Gib came to prominence in 2018 thanks to game designer Warren Spector. In response to a compilation of听gibbing in video games made by Donald’s Trump’s White House, Spector said: “The games I work on typically offer alternatives to violence; I try to show the consequences; there aren’t any decapitations, bloody gibbing headshots or ax killings.” The White House had made the video to highlight video game violence after the Parkland school shooting in Florida on February 2018. (Warning: graphic content)
Examples of gib
Who uses gib?
An instance of gibs is call gibbing. Gib can also be a verb: To gib a foe is to shoot or explode them into bloody bits.
The next version of the Beautiful Doom mod adds enhanced gibbing effects
— ModDB (@ModDB)
Gaming听驳颈产蝉 are often found in first-person shooters, which feature high-powered artillery like machine guns and havoc-wreaking cannons. Games like Doom,听Gears of War,听Baldur’s Gate,听Dead Space, and听Left 4 Dead are known for听gibbing in their graphics. As they are extremely graphic in their depictions of violence, these games usually carry an M rating for “mature.”
There are some variations on听gib. For example, getting听instagibbed is being killed in one shot, i.e., a single hit that听gibs听a character immediately.
Hopefully Spiderman gets instagibbed and is never seen again.
— Michael (@BellularGaming)
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of gib like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of gib that will help our users expand their word mastery.