Oscitation

//ˌɒsɪˈteɪʃən// noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The act of yawning or gaping. also, figuratively

    "Ossitacio is the latyn worde..In englysh it is named ossitacion yeanynge or gapynge."

  2. 2
    The condition of being listless, drowsy, negligent, or inattentive; an occurrence of such negligence or inattention. obsolete

    "These transient fits of oscitation, and inactivity, are perhaps no more than a necessary relaxation to the mind, and serve to quicken its faculties to a more lively sensation of returning pleasure."

Synonyms

All synonyms
drowsinessgapegapinglanguorlethargysomnolence

Example

More examples

"Ossitacio is the latyn worde..In englysh it is named ossitacion yeanynge or gapynge."

Etymology

Latin ōscitātiō, from ōscitō (“to gape”).

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.