Where does “gape-mouthed” come from?
gape-mouthed (English) comes from English gape, from Middle English gapen, from Old Norse gapa, from Proto-Germanic gapōną, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰeh₁y-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰih₁-.
gape-mouthed (English): Overwhelmed with awe or astonishment
Definitions
- Overwhelmed with awe or astonishment
Ancestry of “gape-mouthed”, step by step
gape-mouthed traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English gape
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | gape | To open the mouth wide, especially involuntarily,... |
| 2 | Middle English | gapen | — |
| 3 | Old Norse | gapa | to gape, open the mouth wide |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | gapōną | to gaze, observe |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰeh₁y- | to yawn, gape; to gape, be wide open; to gape,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰih₁- | — |
via English mouthed
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | mouthed | Having a specified type of mouth; simple past... |