maw

noun \ ˈmȯ \

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of maw

1 : the receptacle into which food is taken by swallowing:

a : stomach

b : crop

2 a : the throat, gullet, or jaws especially of a voracious animal

the gaping maw of the tiger

b : something suggestive of a gaping maw

the dark maw of the cave

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Examples of maw in a Sentence

the gaping maw of the tiger

Recent Examples of maw from the Web

Some drivers admire the aggressive maw and the visual effect of bearing down on the road.

— john scott lewinski, Ars Technica, "A 5-liter V8 in a world of small-capacity turbos: The 2018 Lexus GS F," 8 Apr. 2018
In these cases, matter from the star falls into its ultradense partner, and the swirling gas forms what's known as an accretion disk around the black hole's maw.

— National Geographic, "Thousands of Black Holes May Lurk at the Galaxy's Center," 4 Apr. 2018
Siphoned off by the black hole’s gravitational pull, the star’s outer layers will pile up outside the black hole’s maw in a spiraling, steadily glowing disk.

— lee billings, Scientific American, "Astronomers Spy Swarms of Black Holes at Our Galaxy's Core," 4 Apr. 2018
In exchange, the baby builds a web across the plant’s lips, captures and eats other insects and then defecates into its maw, or pitcher.

— joanna klein, New York Times, "The Weird World Inside a Pitcher Plant," 7 Mar. 2018
Designed by Toyota’s Ann Arbor, MI, studio, the new Avalon is far more aggressive looking, with a chrome maw of a grille, swept back headlights and fast front and rear glass.

— mark phelan, Detroit Free Press, "2019 Toyota Avalon’s aggressive new style pairs with safety and efficiency," 15 Jan. 2018
And the Venus fly trap didn’t react to a stimulus similar to a bug crawling across its maw.

— joanna klein, New York Times, "Sedate a Plant, and It Seems to Lose Consciousness. Is It Conscious?," 2 Feb. 2018
Climb onto its back and cower beneath its gaping maw.

— jennifer billock, Smithsonian, "Seven Must-See Museums in South Korea," 12 Jan. 2018
The eponymous maw of the largemouth bass — and the fish’s ability to suck prey into that gaping gullet in a rapacious strike — are part of the lore and legend of the bass to the many anglers who pursue it.

— james gorman, New York Times, "How It Works: The Large Mouth of the Largemouth Bass," 26 Dec. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'maw.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of maw

Middle English, from Old English maga; akin to Old High German mago stomach, Lithuanian makas purse

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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MAW Defined for English Language Learners

maw

noun

Definition of maw for English Language Learners

: the mouth, jaws, or throat of an animal

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