gap en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
- /ɡæp/ (Australia, Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
- /ɡɛp/ (New-Zealand)
- /ɡap/ (Received-Pronunciation, Scotland)
- găp
- (US) audio
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English gap /gappe, from Old Norse gap (“an empty space, gap, chasm”), from gapa (“to gape, scream”), from Proto-Germanic *gapōną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰeh₂- (“to open wide, gape”). Related to Danish gab (“an expanse, space, gap”), Old English ġeap (“open space, expanse”). Doublet of gape.
Meanings
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An opening in anything, made by breaking or parting.
He made a gap in the fence by kicking at a weak spot.
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An opening allowing passage or entrance.
We can slip through that gap between the buildings.
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An opening that implies a breach or defect.
There is a gap between the roof and the gutter.
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A vacant space or time.
I have a gap in my schedule next Tuesday.
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A hiatus, a pause in something which is otherwise continuous.
You must wait for a gap in the traffic before crossing the road.
I'm taking a gap.
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A vacancy, deficit, absence, or lack.
She has a gap in her teeth.
The yawning gap in neuroscientists’ understanding of their topic is in the intermediate scale of the brain’s anatomy. Science has a passable knowledge of how individual nerve cells, known as neurons, work. It also knows which visible lobes and ganglia of the brain do what. But how the neurons are organised in these lobes and ganglia remains obscure. Yet this is the level of organisation that does the actual thinking—and is, presumably, the seat of consciousness.
2013 August 3, “The machine of a new soul”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8847:Find words to fill the gaps in an incomplete sentence.
Their departure has left a gap in the workforce.
But there is a wide gap between the dollars being invested in creators and the respect that is paid to them. It is time to take influencers seriously.
2026 March 9, Cyrus Veyssi, “In Defense of Influencers”, in TIME, archived from the original on 14 Mar 2026:
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A mountain or hill pass.
The exploring party went through the high gap in the mountains.
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(qualifier:Sussex) A sheltered area of coast between two cliffs (mostly restricted to place names).
At Birling Gap we can stop and go have a picnic on the beach.
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The regions between the outfielders.
Jones doubled through the gap.
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(Australia, for a medical or pharmacy item) The shortfall between the amount the medical insurer will pay to the service provider and the scheduled fee for the item.
Under bulk billing the patient does not pay a gap, and the medical practitioner receives 85% of the scheduled fee.
2008, Eileen Willis, Louise Reynolds, Helen Keleher, Understanding the Australian Health Care System, page 5:
- (Australia, as "the gap", literary, usually) The disparity between the indigenous and non-indigenous communities with regard to life expectancy, education, health, etc.
- An unsequenced region in a sequence alignment.
- (euphemistic, slang) The vagina.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| gaps | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
McCullys Gap · Owens Gap · Kirkwood gap · root gap · Cooks Gap · content gap · gappy · microgap · annular gap junction · gap lapper · gap junction · high anion gap metabolic acidosis · Hayes Gap · gapless · Scots' Gap · gap byte · The Gap · Wolfenden gap · lexical gap · gapsite · subgap · fermium gap · fillgap · training gap · Middle Gap · bridge the gap · Naughtons Gap · electron gap · gap creationism · pleasure gap · Barnesmore Gap · Barunga Gap · Magazine Gap · intragap · leaf gap · gap theory · reality gap · parasitic gap · injunction gap · gap it · Gap-1 · gaplike · gap creationist · Suwalki gap · Monia Gap · stand in the gap · gapmer · Doctors Gap · Watford Gap · Victoria Gap · Halls Gap · Palakkad Gap · midgap · gap wedge · Gap-2 · thigh gap · gap concept · stop-gap · widegap · Gunning Gap · gap-fill · Hope Gap · Clements Gap · gap fill · minigap · anion gap · airgap · coal gap · Medigap · immunity gap · Gapsted · pseudogap · gap insurance · Romer's gap · gapful · find the gaps · gap sheet · gap of danger · Wan Chai Gap · pregap · wind gap · Fowlers Gap · age gap · power gap · gap yah · gap lathe · gap year · gapper · nanogap · Wong Nai Chung Gap · genetic gap · stopgap · eigengap · time gap · yepsen · gap buffer · gappist · bandgap · Buffalo Gap · gap-toothed · find the gap · legal gap · water gap · accidental gap · Gap Ridge · gap theorist · mind the gap · multigap · take the gap · gap-lapper · Roses Gap
Hyponyms
orgasm gap · prime gap · pay gap · air gap · Hausdorff gap · generation gap · Weierstrass gap · hungry gap · gender gap · bomber gap · missile gap · spark gap · credibility gap · digital gap
Synonyms
Virginia · cunt · poontang · muffin · Victoria · split (opening made by breaking or parting) · love tunnel · fish lips · whisker biscuit · bush · break (vacant space or time) · hole · moocha · coochie · slit · twinkle · cooze · ginch · cunny · tuppence · quim · front hole · space (opening that implies a breach or defect) · front bottom · pump · wee-wee · vertical smile · bun · fissure (opening made by breaking or parting) · box · window · minge · cavern · pink · chasm (opening made by breaking or parting) · space · nonny · pee-pee · love box · penis fly trap · kebab · vulva · col (mountain pass) · vag · squish mitten · neck (mountain pass) · pussy · muff · monosyllable · cooter · vadge · break (opening allowing passage or entrance) · foo-foo · pink bits · coin slot · beaver · rip (opening made by breaking or parting) · bonne bouche · snapper · innie · fanny · opening · clunge · rift (opening made by breaking or parting) · cookie · sausage wallet · hiatus · hole (opening made by breaking or parting) · punani · berk · strange · la-la · Vicky · juice box · interim · twat · crack · sheath · kitty · cooch · girl · pass (mountain pass) · minnie · sugar walls · stench trench · gash · hoo-ha · Grand Canyon · bearded clam · tear (opening made by breaking or parting) · wizard's sleeve · break (opening made by breaking or parting) · vaginer · front bum · honeypot · clearing · trap · va-jay-jay · vagina · crevice · axe wound · snatch
Translations (196)
bg про́ход (opening allowing passage or entrance) · sw mwanya (opening allowing passage or entrance) · pl przerwa (vacant space or time) · nl spleet (opening made by breaking or parting) · wa crevåde (opening that implies a breach or defect) · ru щель (opening allowing passage or entrance) · hu rés (opening allowing passage or entrance) · hu hasadék (opening made by breaking or parting) · ota آرالق (vacant space or time) · pt brecha (opening that implies a breach or defect) · cs otvor (opening allowing passage or entrance) · el κενό (opening allowing passage or entrance) · es boquete (opening made by breaking or parting) · it buco (opening made by breaking or parting) · ja 隙 (opening that implies a breach or defect) · hu hézag (opening allowing passage or entrance) · ga bearna (opening made by breaking or parting) · it passaggio (opening made by breaking or parting) · ka რღვეული (opening made by breaking or parting) · el κενό (opening that implies a breach or defect) · hu hágó (mountain pass) · ru разры́в (opening made by breaking or parting) · bg ду́пка (opening that implies a breach or defect) · cmn 隘口 (mountain pass) · ga mám (mountain pass) · ml വിടവ് (opening made by breaking or parting) · pt vão (vacant space or time) · tr ara (opening made by breaking or parting) · es abertura (opening allowing passage or entrance) · pl szczelina (opening allowing passage or entrance) · ka ხეობა (mountain pass) · fi sola (mountain pass) · ko 간각 (opening made by breaking or parting) · ja 間隙 (opening made by breaking or parting) · ka გადასასვლელი (mountain pass) · gl granicela (opening that implies a breach or defect) · it interruzione (opening that implies a breach or defect) · pam pilatan (vacant space or time) · it spazio vuoto (opening that implies a breach or defect) · cs průsmyk (mountain pass) · es brecha (opening allowing passage or entrance) · az ara (vacant space or time) · gl orgallo (opening made by breaking or parting) · it fessura (opening made by breaking or parting) · bg интерва́л (vacant space or time) · nb luke (opening made by breaking or parting) · th ช่อง (opening made by breaking or parting) · ka გასაძრომი (opening allowing passage or entrance) · el κενό (opening made by breaking or parting) · hu hiány (opening that implies a breach or defect) · yue 罅 (opening allowing passage or entrance) · fr interruption (vacant space or time) · wa schård (opening made by breaking or parting) · nb spalte (opening made by breaking or parting) · it apertura (opening allowing passage or entrance) · et pragu (opening that implies a breach or defect) · fi aukko (opening allowing passage or entrance) · fr trouée (opening allowing passage or entrance) · de Ritz (opening made by breaking or parting) · az aralıq (opening made by breaking or parting) · ko 틈 (opening made by breaking or parting) · it passaggio (opening allowing passage or entrance) · ca obertura (opening made by breaking or parting) · bg проло́м (mountain pass) · ru зазо́р (opening made by breaking or parting) · cs mezera (opening allowing passage or entrance) · it spazio vuoto (vacant space or time) · hu nyílás (opening allowing passage or entrance) · ka დერეფანი (vacant space or time) · ga bearna (opening allowing passage or entrance) · pl szczelina (opening that implies a breach or defect) · ka საძრომი (opening allowing passage or entrance) · ja ずれ (opening made by breaking or parting) · hu időköz (vacant space or time) · gl fenda (opening made by breaking or parting) · et lõhe (mountain pass) · hu kihagyás (vacant space or time) · hu hézag (opening made by breaking or parting) · ru проло́м (opening made by breaking or parting) · es hueco (vacant space or time) · ca llacuna (opening allowing passage or entrance) · fi aukko (opening made by breaking or parting) · hu rés (opening made by breaking or parting) · ka ფანჯარა (vacant space or time) · fi aukko (opening that implies a breach or defect) · bg ду́пка (opening made by breaking or parting) · nb åpning (opening made by breaking or parting) · hu köz (vacant space or time) · hu hiányosság (opening that implies a breach or defect) · es rehendija (opening made by breaking or parting) · hu hegyszoros (mountain pass) · ga mant (opening made by breaking or parting) · fr solution de continuité (vacant space or time) · ota فرج (opening made by breaking or parting) · it fessura (opening allowing passage or entrance) · gl arro (opening made by breaking or parting) · fi aukkopaikka (in baseball) · hu szoros (mountain pass) · nl reet (opening made by breaking or parting) · ru щель (opening that implies a breach or defect) · cs proluka (vacant space or time) · ko 애구 (mountain pass) · es redendija (opening made by breaking or parting) · gl eiva (opening that implies a breach or defect) · pt brecha (opening allowing passage or entrance) · bg про́пуск (opening allowing passage or entrance) · ga bearnas (mountain pass) · ru дыра́ (opening that implies a breach or defect) · hu köz (opening allowing passage or entrance) · mi mokorawhā (opening made by breaking or parting) · ka გამონანგრევი (opening made by breaking or parting) · ka ხარვეზი (opening that implies a breach or defect) · it breccia (opening made by breaking or parting) · cs díra (opening made by breaking or parting) · gl laño (opening made by breaking or parting) · ru переры́в (vacant space or time) · hu rés (opening that implies a breach or defect) · es brecha (opening made by breaking or parting) · es mella (opening that implies a breach or defect) · wa trô (opening made by breaking or parting) · to ava (opening made by breaking or parting) · es brecha (opening that implies a breach or defect) · cmn 間隙 /间隙 (opening made by breaking or parting) · it fessura (opening that implies a breach or defect) · ka ხვრელი (opening that implies a breach or defect) · gl breca (opening made by breaking or parting) · wa passåjhe (mountain pass) · tr ara (vacant space or time) · cs mezera (vacant space or time) · ru щель (opening made by breaking or parting) · ru люфт (opening made by breaking or parting) · pl okienko (vacant space or time) · fr col (mountain pass) · de Spalte (opening made by breaking or parting) · ru уще́лье (mountain pass) · ru промежу́ток (opening made by breaking or parting) · wa trô (opening allowing passage or entrance) · ko 틈새 (opening made by breaking or parting) · sw mwanya (opening that implies a breach or defect) · nb mellomrom (opening made by breaking or parting) · ru окно́ (vacant space or time) · hi अंतर (opening made by breaking or parting) · nv dziłgiizh (mountain pass) · ru брешь (opening made by breaking or parting) · pt fenda (opening made by breaking or parting) · la lacūna (opening made by breaking or parting) · el κενό (vacant space or time) · ru прохо́д (mountain pass) · zu isikhala (opening allowing passage or entrance) · gl esgranicela (opening allowing passage or entrance) · pl szpara (opening that implies a breach or defect) · as ফাঁক (opening made by breaking or parting) · zu isikhala (opening made by breaking or parting) · sv spricka (opening made by breaking or parting) · fr brèche (opening made by breaking or parting) · wa creveure (opening that implies a breach or defect) · es resquicio (opening allowing passage or entrance) · hu időszak (vacant space or time) · ota خلال (vacant space or time) · yue 罅 (opening made by breaking or parting) · sw mwanya (opening made by breaking or parting) · mi angotanga (opening allowing passage or entrance) · ru промежу́ток (opening allowing passage or entrance) · bg дефиле́ (mountain pass) · ga bearna (opening that implies a breach or defect) · es intersticio (opening allowing passage or entrance) · nb lomme (opening made by breaking or parting) · ko 극간 (opening made by breaking or parting) · fr écart (opening made by breaking or parting) · ota آرا (vacant space or time) · ko 간극 (opening made by breaking or parting) · gl laña (opening that implies a breach or defect) · ru интерва́л (opening made by breaking or parting) · bho अंतर (opening made by breaking or parting) · ru брешь (opening allowing passage or entrance) · cs sedlo (mountain pass) · hu hézag (opening that implies a breach or defect) · nb tomrom (opening made by breaking or parting) · hu nyílás (opening made by breaking or parting) · la lacūna (opening that implies a breach or defect) · ko 간통 (opening made by breaking or parting) · bg пролу́ка (opening made by breaking or parting) · es mella (opening made by breaking or parting) · de Ritze (opening made by breaking or parting) · bg пра́зно мя́сто (opening made by breaking or parting) · it breccia (opening allowing passage or entrance) · pl dziura (opening that implies a breach or defect) · gl fisga (opening made by breaking or parting) · gl refollo (opening that implies a breach or defect) · de Spalt (opening allowing passage or entrance) · fi aukko (vacant space or time) · hu térköz (vacant space or time) · nb gap (opening made by breaking or parting) · de Lücke (opening allowing passage or entrance) · da ridse (opening made by breaking or parting) · wa trawêye (opening allowing passage or entrance)