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gape

/ˈɡeɪp/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about gape at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. An expression of openmouthed astonishment.
  2. A stare of amazement (usually with the mouth open).

verb

  1. Look with amazement; look stupidly.
  2. Be wide open.
    the deep gaping canyon

Origin

From Middle English gapen, from Old Norse gapa (“to gape”) (compare Swedish gapa, Danish gabe), from Proto-Germanic *gapōną (descendants Middle English geapen, Dutch gapen, German gaffen), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰеh₂b-. Cognates include Russian зяпа (zjapa). Doublet of gap.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)