From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
gargoyle
n 1: a spout that terminates in a grotesquely carved figure of a
person or animal
2: an ornament consisting of a grotesquely carved figure of a
person or animal
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Gargoyle \Gar"goyle\, n. [OE. garguilie, gargouille, cf. Sp.
g['a]rgola, prob. fr. the same source as F. gorge throat,
influenced by L. gargarizare to gargle. See Gorge and cf.
Gargle, Gargarize.] (Arch.)
A spout projecting from the roof gutter of a building, often
carved grotesquely. [Written also gargle, gargyle, and
gurgoyle.]
[1913 Webster]
From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008) [foldoc]:
Gargoyle
A language for compiler writing.
[J.V. Garwick, CACM 7(1):16-20, (Jan 1964)].
(1994-11-04)