Gape
/ɡeɪp/noun
To open the mouth or eyes wide, often in surprise or wonder.
Did you know?Gape is related to words built on an ancient Germanic root for ‘yawning/opening wide,’ which is why it carries that eerie, involuntary feeling of being overtaken by awe or shock.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gheh₂-
“to yawn, gape, open the mouth wide”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*gēpōną
“to gape, yawn”
Old English
OE
gæpan
“to gape, yawn, open wide”
Middle English
ME
gapen
“to gape, stare with the mouth open”
Modern English
English
gape
“to open wide, especially the mouth; to stare in astonishment”