Gaines·ville (g?nz?v?l?, -v?l) A city of north-central Florida southwest of Jacksonville. It is the seat of the University of Florida (founded 1853).American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.Gaines?ville (?ge?nz v?l) n. a city in N Florida. 86,230. Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.