Meanings
yawn1
present singular third person yawns · participle present yawning · participle past yawned · past yawned
- intransitiveTo open the mouth widely and take a long, rather deep breath, often because one is tired or bored, and sometimes accompanied by pandiculation.
I could see my students yawning, so I knew the lesson was boring them.
2 more examples
[…] I found my self towards Evening, first empty and sickish at my Stomach, and nearer Night mightily enclin’d to yawning and sleepy […]
1719, [Daniel Defoe], The Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe; […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLCc. 1773, John Trumbull, The Progress of Dulness, Exeter, New Hampshire: Henry Ranlet, 1794, Part 1, p. 19, And while above he spends his breath, The yawning audience nod beneath.
- To say while yawning.
“Oh,” Sutherland yawned, “I’m too old for this.”
1978, Andrew Holleran, chapter 8, in The Dancer from the Dance, New York: Bantam, published 1979, page 2171 more example
“I haven’t the least idea what I want to do,” he yawned.
1922, Stephen McKenna, chapter 10, in The Secret Victory, New York: George H. Doran, page 214 - To present a wide opening; gape.
Death yawned before us, and I hit the brakes.
4 more examples
The canyon yawns as it has done for millions of years, and we stand looking, dumbstruck.
’Tis now the very witching time of night, When churchyards yawn, and hell itself breathes out Contagion to this world.
c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii][…] Hell at last Yawning receavd them whole, and on them clos’d,
1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 874-875If your child has tumbled into one of those open sewers which yawn for the unwary in the streets […]
1911, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 8, page 104 - obsoleteTo open the mouth, or to gape, through surprise or bewilderment.
[…] O heavy hour! Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse Of sun and moon, and that the affrighted globe Should yawn at alteration.
c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]1 more example
[…] Hell being vnder euerie one of their Stages, the Players (if they had owed him a spight) might with a false Trappe doore haue slipt him downe, and there kept him, as a laughing stocke to al their yawning Spectators.
1606, Thomas Dekker, Nevves from hell brought by the Diuells carrier, London: W. Ferebrand - obsoleteTo be eager; to desire to swallow anything; to express desire by yawning.
to yawn for fat livings
1 more example
Fly not, as thou wert wont, to his embrace, Lest, after one long yawning gaze, he swear Thou art the best good fellow in the world, But he had quite forgotten thee, by Jove!
1824, Walter Savage Landor, “Milton and Andrew Marvel”, in Imaginary Conversations of Literary Men and Statesmen, volume I, London: […] Taylor and Hessey, […], →OCLC, page 6
plural yawns
- The action of yawning; opening the mouth widely and taking a long, rather deep breath, often because one is tired or bored.
But Mrs. MacWhirr, in the drawing-room […], stifled a yawn—perhaps out of self-respect—for she was alone.
1902, Joseph Conrad, chapter 6, in Typhoon1 more example
At length, quite exhausted by the attempt to be amused with her own book, which she had only chosen because it was the second volume of his, she gave a great yawn and said, “How pleasant it is to spend an evening in this way! […]”
1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter 11, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC - colloquialA particularly boring event.
The slideshow we sat through was such a yawn. I was glad when it finished.
Yawn2
Synonyms & antonyms
nounan involuntary intake of breath through a wide open mouth; usually triggered by fatigue or boredom
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
yawn · verb, noun
- Proto-Indo-European*ǵʰi-
- Proto-Germanic*gainōną“to yawn, gape”
- Proto-West Germanic*gainōn
- Old Englishgānian“to yawn, gape”
- Middle Englishgonen“to gape, yawn”
- Proto-Germanic*ginōną“to yawn”
- Proto-West Germanic*ginōn
- Old Englishġeonian
- Middle Englishyanen
- Englishyawn
Partly from Middle English yanen, yonen, yenen (“to yawn”), from Old English ġeonian, ġinian (“to yawn, gape”), from Proto-West Germanic *ginōn, from Proto-Germanic *ginōną (“to yawn”); and partly from Middle English gonen (“to gape, yawn”), from Old English gānian (“to yawn, gape”), from Proto-West Germanic *gainōn, from Proto-Germanic *gainōną (“to yawn, gape”); both from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰi-, *ǵʰeyh₁- (“to yawn, gape”). Cognate with North Frisian jåne (“to yawn”), Saterland Frisian jaanje, joanje (“to yawn”), Middle Dutch genen, ghenen (“to yawn”), German Low German jahnen (“to yawn”), German gähnen (“to yawn, gape”), dialectal Swedish gana (“to gape, gawk”), dialectal Norwegian gina (“to gape”). Compare also Old Church Slavonic зѣѭ (zějǫ) (Russian зи́нуть (zínutʹ), зия́ть (zijátʹ)), Greek χαίνω (khaínō)), Latin hiō, Tocharian A śew, Tocharian B kāy-, Lithuanian žioti, Sanskrit जेह् (jeh)
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Yawn · proper noun
Americanized spelling of the German surname Jahn
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek χάσκω, χασμάομαι
- χάσκω (kháskō)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- χασμάομαι (khasmáomai)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- χάσμη (khásmē)the action of yawning
Arabic تَثَاءَبَ, تَثَاؤُب
- تَثَاءَبَ (taṯāʔaba)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- تَثَاؤُب (taṯāʔub)the action of yawning
Basque aharrausi egin, aharrausi
- aharrausi eginopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- aharrausithe action of yawning
- ahozabalkadathe action of yawning
Bengali হাই তোলা, হাই
- হাই তোলা (hai tōla)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- হাই (hai)the action of yawning
Bulgarian прозя́вам се, прозе́я се
- прозя́вам се (prozjávam se)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- прозе́я се (prozéja se)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- прози́на се (prozína se)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- зея́ (zejá)to present a wide opening
- прозявка (prozjavka)the action of yawning
Catalan badallar, obrir-se
- badallaropen the mouth and take a deep breath
- obrir-seto present a wide opening
- badallthe action of yawning
Chinese Cantonese 打喊露
- 打喊露 (daa² haam³ lou⁶)open the mouth and take a deep breath
Chinese Mandarin 打哈欠, 打呵欠
- 打哈欠 (dǎ hāqian)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- 打呵欠 (dǎ hēqiàn)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- 打阿老 (dǎ ālǎo)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- 哈欠 (hāqian)the action of yawning
- 呵欠 (hēqiàn)the action of yawning
Czech zívat, zívnout
- zívatopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- zívnoutopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- zívnutíthe action of yawning
- zíváníthe action of yawning
Danish gabe, gabe
- gabeopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- gabeto present a wide opening
- gabthe action of yawning
Dutch geeuwen, gapen
- geeuwenopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- gapenopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- geeuwthe action of yawning
- gaapthe action of yawning
Esperanto oscedi, faŭki
- oscediopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- faŭkito present a wide opening
- oscedothe action of yawning
Estonian haigutama, haigutus
- haigutamaopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- haigutusthe action of yawning
Finnish haukotella, ammottaa
- haukotellaopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- ammottaato present a wide opening
- haukotusthe action of yawning
- haukotteluthe action of yawning
French bâiller, béer
- bâilleropen the mouth and take a deep breath
- béerto present a wide opening
- bâillementthe action of yawning
German gähnen, Gähnen
- gähnenopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- Gähnenthe action of yawning
Greek χασμουριέμαι, χασμουρητό
- χασμουριέμαι (chasmouriémai)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- χασμουρητό (chasmouritó)the action of yawning
Hebrew פִּהֵק, פִּהוּק
- פִּהֵק (pihek)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- פִּהוּק (pihuk)the action of yawning
Hindi जंभना, जँभाई लेना
- जंभना (jambhnā)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- जँभाई लेना (jambhāī lenā)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- अंगड़ाई लेना (aṅgṛāī lenā)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- जम्हाई (jamhāī)the action of yawning
Hungarian ásít, tátong
- ásítopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- tátongto present a wide opening
- ásításthe action of yawning
Icelandic geispa, gapa
- geispaopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- gapato present a wide opening
- geispithe action of yawning
Indonesian menguap, kuap
- menguapopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- kuapthe action of yawning
Irish déan méanfach, lig méanfach
- déan méanfachopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- lig méanfachopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- méanfachthe action of yawning
Italian sbadigliare, sbadiglio
- sbadigliareopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- sbadigliothe action of yawning
Japanese 欠伸する, 欠伸
- 欠伸する (akubi suru)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- 欠伸 (akubi)the action of yawning
Korean 하품하다, 하품
- 하품하다 (hapumhada)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- 하품 (hapum)the action of yawning
Latin oscitō, hiō
- oscitōopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- hiōopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- dehīscōto present a wide opening
- oscitātiōthe action of yawning
Latvian žāvāties, žāvas
- žāvātiesopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- žāvasthe action of yawning
Lithuanian žiovauti, žiovulys
- žiovautiopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- žiovulysthe action of yawning
Malay kuap, uap
- kuapopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- uapopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- kuapthe action of yawning
Māori tūwaharoa, hītako
- tūwaharoaopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- hītakoopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- hītakotakoopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- kōwahaopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- hāmamamamaopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- hāmama popoiaopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- koherato present a wide opening
- kowherato present a wide opening
- hītakothe action of yawning
Norwegian Bokmål gjespe
- gjespeopen the mouth and take a deep breath
Persian خمیازه کشیدن, فاژیدن
- خمیازه کشیدن (xamyâze kešidan)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- فاژیدن (fâžidan)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- دهاندره کردن (dahân-darre kardan)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- فاژه کشیدن (fâža kašidan)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- خمیازه (xamiyâze)the action of yawning
- دهاندره (dahân-dare)the action of yawning
- فاژه (fâže)the action of yawning
Polish ziewać, ziewnąć
- ziewaćopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- ziewnąćopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- ziewaniethe action of yawning
Portuguese bocejar, bocejo
- bocejaropen the mouth and take a deep breath
- bocejothe action of yawning
Romanian căsca, deschide
- căscaopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- deschideto present a wide opening
- a căscato present a wide opening
Russian зева́ть, зевну́ть
- зева́ть (zevátʹ)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- зевну́ть (zevnútʹ)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- зия́ть (zijátʹ)to present a wide opening
- зева́ние (zevánije)the action of yawning
- зево́та (zevóta)the action of yawning
- зево́к (zevók)the action of yawning
Scottish Gaelic mèaran
- mèaranopen the mouth and take a deep breath
Slovak zívať, zívnuť
- zívaťopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- zívnuťopen the mouth and take a deep breath
Spanish bostezar, abrirse
- bostezaropen the mouth and take a deep breath
- abrirseto present a wide opening
- bostezothe action of yawning
Swahili -piga miayo, -enda miayo
- -piga miayoopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- -enda miayoopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- mwayothe action of yawning
Swedish gäspa, gäspning
- gäspaopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- gäspningthe action of yawning
- gäspthe action of yawning
Tagalog maghikab, hikab
- maghikabopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- hikabthe action of yawning
Tamil கொட்டாவி, பிள
- கொட்டாவி (koṭṭāvi)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- பிள (piḷa)to present a wide opening
- ஆவி (āvi)to present a wide opening
- கொட்டாவி விடு (koṭṭāvi viṭu)the action of yawning
Thai หาว, หาว
- หาว (hǎao)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- หาว (hǎao)the action of yawning
Turkish esnemek, esneme
- esnemekopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- esnemethe action of yawning
Ukrainian позіха́ти, позіхну́ти
- позіха́ти (pozixáty)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- позіхну́ти (pozixnúty)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- зіва́ти (ziváty)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- зівну́ти (zivnúty)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- по́зіхи (pózixy)the action of yawning
- позіха́ння (pozixánnja)the action of yawning
Urdu اَن٘گْڑائی لینا, جماہی لینا
- اَن٘گْڑائی لینا (angṛāī lenā)open the mouth and take a deep breath
- جماہی لینا (jamāhī lenā)open the mouth and take a deep breath
Vietnamese ngáp, ngáp
- ngápopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- ngápthe action of yawning
Welsh dylyfu gên, cegrythu
- dylyfu gênopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- cegrythuopen the mouth and take a deep breath
- ymagoropen the mouth and take a deep breath
Yiddish גענעצן
- גענעצן (genetsn)open the mouth and take a deep breath
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with yawn
Sounds the same
Anagrams
Cite this entry
yawn. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/yawn
“yawn.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/yawn. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “yawn,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/yawn.
Source: yawn on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.