maw

¹

[maw]

noun

1. the mouth, throat, or gullet of an animal, especially a carnivorous mammal.

2. the crop or craw of a fowl.

3. the stomach, especially that of an animal.

4. a cavernous opening that resembles the open jaws of an animal.

   the gaping maw of hell.

5. the symbolic or theoretical center of a voracious hunger or appetite of any kind.

   the ravenous maw of Death.

maw

²

[maw]

noun

Informal.

1. mother.

maw

/ mɔː /

noun

1. the mouth, throat, crop, or stomach of an animal, esp of a voracious animal

2. informal,  the mouth or stomach of a greedy person

Word History and Origins

Origin of maw¹

before 900; Middle English mawe, Old English maga; cognate with Dutch maag, German Magen, Old Norse magi

Origin of maw²

Variant of ma

Word History and Origins

Origin of maw¹

Old English maga; related to Middle Dutch maghe, Old Norse magi

Example Sentences

After a brief pause, the SUV pulled away and the mob stormed in through the gaping maw that was once the front door.

From Los Angeles Times

Moments later, it emerged as a landscape denuded of all color save brown and gray and the occasional red-rimmed maw of a destroyed brick rooftop.

From Los Angeles Times

There also would have been the practical difficulty of running the nation’s most populous state, a maw of endless crises and challenges, while at the same time pursuing the presidency.

From Los Angeles Times

A logger for over 50 years since he was 8, he knows exactly what’s wrong with his job, but is trapped in the maw of an industry as a means of survival for his family.

From Los Angeles Times

Instead, Trump’s unprecedented statement — what should be treated as a national emergency — was lost in the churn of the 24/7 news media and the bottomless maw of the attention economy and distraction experience machine.

From Salon