Gulf vs. Bight — What's the Difference?

A gulf is a large inlet from the ocean into the landmass, typically with a narrower opening than a bay, but that is not observable in all geographic areas so named. The term gulf was traditionally used for large highly-indented navigable bodies of salt water that are enclosed by the coastline.

A curve or recess in a coastline, river, or other geographical feature.

Abbr. G. A large area of a sea or ocean partially enclosed by land, especially a long landlocked portion of sea opening through a strait.

A loop of rope.

A deep, wide chasm; an abyss.

A loop in a rope.

A wide gap, as in understanding

The middle or slack part of an extended rope.

Something, such as a whirlpool, that draws down or engulfs.

A bend or curve, especially in a shoreline.

To engulf.

A wide bay formed by such a bend or curve.

A hollow place in the earth; an abyss; a deep chasm or basin.

A corner, bend, or angle; a hollow

(obsolete) That which swallows; the gullet.

An area of sea lying between two promontories, larger than a bay, wider than a gulf

That which swallows irretrievably; a whirlpool; a sucking eddy.

(geography) A bend or curve in a coastline, river, or other geographical feature.

(geography) A portion of an ocean or sea extending into the land; a partially landlocked sea

A curve in a rope

(mining) A large deposit of ore in a lode.

(transitive) To arrange or fasten (a rope) in bights.

(figurative) A wide interval or gap; a separating space.

A corner, bend, or angle; a hollow; as, the bight of a horse's knee; the bight of an elbow.

(figurative) A difference, especially a large difference, between groups.

A bend in a coast forming an open bay; as, the Bight of Benin.

(Oxbridge slang) The bottom part of a list of those awarded a degree, for those who have only just passed.

The double part of a rope when folded, in distinction from the ends; that is, a round, bend, or coil not including the ends; a loop.

To award a degree to somebody who has only just passed sufficiently.

A loop in a rope

A hollow place in the earth; an abyss; a deep chasm or basin,

A bend or curve (especially in a coastline)

That which swallows; the gullet.

A broad bay formed by an indentation (a bight) in the shoreline;

That which swallows irretrievably; a whirlpool; a sucking eddy.

The middle part of a slack rope (as distinguished from its ends)

A portion of an ocean or sea extending into the land; a partially land-locked sea; as, the Gulf of Mexico.

Fasten with a bight

A large deposit of ore in a lode.

An arm of a sea or ocean partly enclosed by land; larger than a bay

An unbridgeable disparity (as from a failure of understanding);

A deep wide chasm