yawning

adjective

Open wide: abysmal, abyssal, cavernous, gaping. See wide/narrow.

A deep, involuntary inspiration with the mouth open, often accompanied by the act of stretching. Repeated yawning in the presence of other signs, may accompany signs of chronic abdominal pain or hepatic disease.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: an involuntary intake of breath through a wide open mouth; usually triggered by fatigue or boredom
  Synonyms: yawn, oscitance, oscitancy

The adjective yawning has 3 meanings:

Meaning #1: gaping open as if threatening to engulf someone or something

Meaning #2: with the mouth wide open indicating boredom or sleepiness

Meaning #3: showing lack of attention or boredom
  Synonyms: drowsy, oscitant

Yawning
Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Stephanoberyciformes Family: Melamphaidae Genus: Poromitra Species: P. oscitans
Binomial name
Poromitra oscitans Ebeling, 1975

The yawning, Poromitra oscitans, is a fish of the family Melamphaidae, found in tropical and subtropical waters of the indo-Pacific region.

References

• Poromitra oscitans (TSN 649668). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 18 April 2006.
• "Poromitra oscitans". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
• Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8

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