Meaning
To open the mouth wide, especially involuntarily, as in a yawn, anger, or surprise.
Etymology
Origin: Middle English
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.
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 8 recorded puzzles: