Jaw
/dʒɔː/noun
The lower part of the face that moves when talking and eating.
Did you know?In Old English, 'jaw' was linked to the act of devouring, symbolizing both nourishment and destruction, a duality found in many ancient cultures.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*g̯enə-
“to consume, devour, or chew.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
γάγγραινα (gángraina)
“a term for 'to consume' or 'to eat away', often used in contexts of decay.”
Old English
Old English
ceaf
“the jaw or jawbone, often referred to in contexts of eating or biting.”
Middle English
Middle English
jawe
“the lower jaw or jawbone, signifying the part of the body used for eating.”
Modern English
English
jaw
“the anatomical structure of the face, involved in the opening and closing of the mouth.”