Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Drag to rotate
Tracing “”…
Where does the word "gape" come from? It comes from Old Norse gapa, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).
Read the full story
Where does the word "gape" come from? It comes from Old Norse gapa, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).
Gape’s story begins in Old Norse: gapa meant “to open the mouth wide.” The same Norse root gives 'Ginnungagap', the yawning void of Norse creation myth. It reached English by 1200s as gape. Came to suggest staring open-mouthed in astonishment, not just opening wide. Today, gape means to stare with the mouth open in wonder; to be wide open.
- Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval gapa "to open the mouth wide", the same Norse root gives 'Ginnungagap', the yawning void of Norse creation myth.
- Stage 2 · English · 1200s gape "to stare open-mouthed", came to suggest staring open-mouthed in astonishment, not just opening wide.