Where does “gasp” come from?

Gasp comes from Middle English gaspen, whose origin and ultimate meaning remain unknown.

gasp (English): To draw in the breath suddenly, as if from a...

Definitions

  1. To draw in the breath suddenly, as if from a...

Ancestry of “gasp”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishgaspento gape, exhale
2Old Norsegeispato yawn

Words derived from “gasp

Every word from Old Norse geispaEvery word from Middle English gaspen