Definition

The action of opening one's mouth wide and inhaling deeply, typically involuntarily as a response to tiredness, boredom, or seeing another person yawn; or (figurative) wide open or gaping.

Example Usage

A yawning gap between the rich and poor has become a major political issue.

Origin

From Old English gฤnian, of uncertain origin; related to gape and grin.

Fun Fact

Yawning is contagious among many social animals and may be linked to empathy and theory of mind.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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