Gulf
/ɡʌlf/noun
A large difference or gap between two people, groups, or things.
Did you know?In medieval Latin, 'gulfus' referred not just to a sea inlet, but also to a chasm that could metaphorically 'swallow' anything in its path, hinting at its dark, consuming nature.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʊlbʰ-
“to swallow or gulp down”
Latin
Latin
gulfus
“a chasm or gap that swallows up things”
Old French
Old French
golfe
“a bay or gulf, often associated with large water bodies”
Middle English
Middle English
gulf
“a large inlet of the sea or a deep chasm”
Modern English
English
gulf
“a significant gap or space, both literally and metaphorically, often evoking a sense of vastness or emptiness.”