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Maw vs Oesophagus - What's the difference?

maw | oesophagus | Synonyms |

Maw is a synonym of oesophagus.


As nouns the difference between maw and oesophagus

is that maw is (archaic) the stomach, especially of an animal or maw can be (dialect|colloquial) mother or maw can be a gull while oesophagus is (anatomy) the tube that carries food from the pharynx to the stomach.

maw

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) mawe, from (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • (archaic) the stomach, especially of an animal
  • * 1667 , , Paradise Lost, Book X
    • So Death shall be deceav'd his glut, and with us two / Be forc'd to satisfie his Rav'nous Maw .
  • the upper digestive tract (where food enters the body), especially the mouth and jaws of a ravenous creature.
  • * 1818 , , Endymion
    • To save poor lambkins from the eagle's maw
  • any great, insatiable or perilous opening.
  • Appetite; inclination.
  • * Beaumont and Fletcher
    • Unless you had more maw to do me good.

    Etymology 2

    By shortening of mother

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (dialect, colloquial) Mother.

    • Etymology 3

    See .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A gull.

    • Anagrams

    * ----

    oesophagus

    English

    Alternative forms

    * esophagus (US spelling) * (older UK spelling)

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (anatomy) The tube that carries food from the pharynx to the stomach.

    • Synonyms

    * gullet * weasand

    Derived terms

    * oesophageal * oesophagectomy * oesophagitis

    See also

    * (oesophagus) English nouns with irregular plurals