Meanings
nounoscitancy (plural oscitancies)
plural oscitancies
- the act of yawning
- drowsiness, especially when marked by yawning
Synonyms & antonyms
Similar
noundrowsiness and dullness manifested by yawning
Similar
nounan involuntary intake of breath through a wide open mouth; usually triggered by fatigue or boredom
Broader
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From Latin oscitans + -cy, present participle of ōscitō (“to yawn, gape, open the mouth”), from Latin os (“the mouth”).
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
oscitancy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oscitancy
MLA
“oscitancy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oscitancy. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “oscitancy,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oscitancy.
Source: oscitancy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.