Maw

Pronunciation: /mɔː/

Definitions of maw

noun the mouth, throat, or stomach of a person or animal, especially a carnivorous mammal

Example Sentences

A1 The shark's maw is filled with rows of sharp teeth.

A2 The bear caught a fish and devoured it with its powerful maw.

B1 The dragon opened its massive maw and breathed fire.

B2 The lioness protected her cubs from harm with her fearsome maw.

C1 The whale's enormous maw can engulf thousands of krill in a single gulp.

C2 The ancient sea monster emerged from the depths, its cavernous maw ready to devour anything in its path.

Examples of maw in a Sentence

formal The shark opened its massive maw to reveal rows of sharp teeth.

informal I can't believe how wide that fish's maw can open!

slang The party was so boring, I nearly fell asleep with my maw wide open.

figurative The corporation's legal maw is known for its aggressive tactics in court.

Grammatical Forms of maw

• past tense: mawed
• plural: maws
• comparative: more maw
• superlative: most maw
• present tense: maws
• future tense: will maw
• perfect tense: have mawed
• continuous tense: is mawing
• singular: maw
• positive degree: maw
• infinitive: to maw
• gerund: mawing
• participle: mawed

Origin and Evolution of maw

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'maw' originated from Middle English, derived from Old English 'magu' meaning stomach or belly.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'maw' has evolved to refer to the throat or jaws of a voracious animal, as well as to describe a gaping or insatiable mouth in a more metaphorical sense.