agape

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /əˈɡeɪp/ UK /əˈɡeɪp/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
with the mouth wide open in wonder; also selfless Christian love

The children stood agape before the towering waterfall.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · with the mouth wide open in... gapingopenmouthedagogwonderstruckcharity love

Opposites

closed indifferent

Word family

Related forms gape gap

Etymology

In the 'open-mouthed' sense, from a- ('in a state of') + gape, from Old Norse gapa ('to open the mouth'). The distinct 'Christian love' sense is a separate borrowing of Ancient Greek agape ('love, charity').

gapa Old Norse agápē Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# agape

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /əˈɡeɪp/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈɡeɪp/

## Meanings
1. with the mouth wide open in wonder; also selfless Christian love

## Examples
- The children stood agape before the towering waterfall.

## Synonyms
- gaping
- openmouthed
- agog
- wonderstruck
- charity
- love

## Antonyms
- closed
- indifferent

## Related Forms
- gape
- gap

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: gapa
- Root: agápē

## Etymology
In the 'open-mouthed' sense, from a- ('in a state of') + gape, from Old Norse gapa ('to open the mouth'). The distinct 'Christian love' sense is a separate borrowing of Ancient Greek agape ('love, charity').

## AI Etymology
Agape is in the 'open-mouthed' sense, from a- ('in a state of') + gape, from Old Norse gapa ('to open the mouth'). The distinct 'Christian love' sense is a separate borrowing of Ancient Greek agape ('love, charity'). Important recorded forms include gapa (Old Norse) and agápē (Ancient Greek). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers with the mouth wide open in wonder; also selfless Christian love. The wider family includes related words such as gape and gap.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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