maw

\ ˈmȯ

How to pronounce maw (audio)

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Definition of maw

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

b : crop

2a : 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

Examples of maw in a Sentence

the gaping maw of the tiger

Recent Examples on the Web Or the Cantonese corn and fish maw soup, a brilliantly yellow seafood stock with sweet corn and egg drop. — Lucas Sin, Bon Appétit, "Any Soup Can Be Egg Drop Soup If You Want It to Be," 15 May 2020 The dinosaur was absolutely ferocious and had a maw full of razor-sharp teeth. — Daisy Hernandez, Popular Mechanics, "You Can Probably Guess Why This New Dinosaur Is Called 'Reaper of Death'," 11 Feb. 2020 The species, which grows to 6 feet long and weighs up to 220 pounds, was prized for its swim bladder, or maw, an organ that helps ballast the animal. — Adam Elder, Wired, "How a Pudgy Porpoise May Save Other Animals From Extinction," 16 Apr. 2020 By the middle of the 20th century, overfishing had decimated the species, so maw traders turned to the next best source, an equally giant Mexican croaker called the totoaba. — Adam Elder, Wired, "How a Pudgy Porpoise May Save Other Animals From Extinction," 16 Apr. 2020 Although made up mostly of collagen, maws of all kinds are a popular medicinal supplement; they're sold dried and prepared in soup. — Adam Elder, Wired, "How a Pudgy Porpoise May Save Other Animals From Extinction," 16 Apr. 2020 Try not to be distracted by the 2020 Lexus GX460's gaping maw. — Mike Sutton, Car and Driver, "Tested: 2020 Lexus GX460 Is a Grille Hiding an Old SUV," 6 Apr. 2020 His father had two jobs, selling noodles during the day and fixing motorcycle seats at night, while his mother sold fish maw soup in China Town. — Helen Regan And Kocha Olarn, CNN, "His party was banned. He faces jail. But Thailand's Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit vows to fight on," 9 Mar. 2020 Outside the rain runs down the windows: Lead men on rooftops spout it from their maws. — Thomas Mallon, New York Times, "Crashing Henry VIII’s Court One Last Time With Hilary Mantel," 25 Feb. 2020

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.

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Last Updated

12 Jun 2020

Cite this Entry

“Maw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maw. Accessed 3 Jul. 2020.

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