GNAW - Definition & Meaning for Kids
Meaning 1
Part of speech: Verb
bite or chew on with the teeth
Example: gnaw an old cracker
Categories: Bite, Seize with teeth, Chew, Masticate, Manducate, Jaw
Synonyms
Wear away, Gnaw at, Eat at, Erode, Gnaw
🌱 Word Origin (Etymology)
The word "gnaw" comes from Proto-Indo-European *gʰnēgʰ-. It started in Proto-Germanic *gnaganą. Then it appeared in Old English gnagan. Later, people used it in Middle English gnawen. Many other languages have similar words:.
- Dutch: knagen
- German: nagen
- Norwegian Bokmål: gnage
- Norwegian Nynorsk: gnaga
- Swedish: gnaga
🧩 Fun Fact
This word traveled through multiple civilizations—each culture shaped its meaning slightly!