English

gapeline

From gape + line.

A compound of gape + line

Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰeh₂- ‘to gape, be wide open’

Proto-Germanic *gapōną ‘to gaze, observe’

Old Norse gapa ‘to gape’

Middle English gapen

English gape

Proto-Germanic *līną ‘flax’

Proto-Germanic *līnǭ ‘line’

Proto-West Germanic *līnā ‘line’

Old English līne ‘line’

Middle English line ‘rope’

English line

Today it means

noun The outer edge of a bird's gape, especially when enlarged in a chick or immature bird.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / gapeline