oscitant

American  

[os-i-tuhnt] / ˈɒs ɪ tənt /

adjective

1. yawning, as with drowsiness; gaping.

2. drowsy or inattentive.

3. dull, lazy, or negligent.

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Other Word Forms

• oscitance noun
• oscitancy noun

Etymology

Origin of oscitant

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin ōscitant- (stem of ōscitāns, present participle of ōscitāre “to gape, yawn (used of animals), be listless”), equivalent to ōs “mouth” + cit(āre) “to put in motion” + -ant- -ant

Example Sentences

Adj. open; perforated &c. v.; perforate; wide open, ajar, unclosed, unstopped; oscitant†, gaping, yawning; patent. tubular, cannular†, fistulous; pervious, permeable; foraminous†; vesicular, vasicular†; porous, follicular, cribriform†, honeycombed, infundibular†, riddled; tubulous†, tubulated†; piped, tubate†. opening &c. v.; aperient†.

From Project Gutenberg