Oscitation

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌɒsɪˈteɪʃən/

Definitions

1. The action or process of yawning, typically involving opening the mouth wide and inhaling deeply
2. A natural reflex involving the wide opening of the mouth and deep breathing often signaling tiredness or boredom
3. The involuntary act of opening one's mouth widely and taking in a deep breath, commonly seen in moments of fatigue or dullness

Etymology: "Oscitation" comes straight from Latin "ōscitātiō," a noun built on the verb "ōscitāre," meaning "to gape." The Latin verb itself grew from "ōs," the word for mouth, so the core of the term is simply an act of mouth-opening, dressed up in a formal suffix. Latin writers had a use for it in a fairly literal sense, so the word never had to travel far from its physical origin. English took the term over as a learned borrowing, which is why it sounds so clinical next to ordinary words for yawning. Its meaning has stayed remarkably faithful to the Latin: a wide-mouthed gape and deep intake of breath, usually a sign of tiredness or boredom. Few English words for a bodily reflex have kept such a direct link to the original Latin description of it.