Meaning of chasmology | Babel Free

Definitions

The study of yawning.

rare, uncountable

Examples

“What may become⟳ 2010’s Conference of the Year has just been announced. The International Congress of Chasmology will take⟳ place⟳ in June in Paris, and papers are solicited now. Anyone bored by that statement should read⟳ further, for the topic to be discussed is not diving but yawning (“chasmology” deriving from the Greek word for the pastime.)”

“At the psychological level, the yawn⟳ has been associated with boredom at least since Roman times. Boredom, however, is a very complex idea. Nevertheless, even if it is only partially connected with yawning, boredom may still be an interesting concept for chasmology.”

“The Italian scientists suggest⟳ that it is all about feeling close⟳ to each other. They found that the stronger our social bonds with someone, the more likely we are to yawn⟳ when they do. […] If the researchers are correct⟳, their study⟳ may constitute a minor leap⟳ forward⟳ for the science of chasmology (the technical term for the study⟳ of yawning; it derives from the Greek).”

“Most of us associate yawning with lack of sleep⟳, or with “catching” a yawn⟳ from someone else’s. […] But chasmology, the study⟳ of yawning, shows that most vertebrate animals experience⟳ yawning – mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, even fish⟳ – and contrary to Merriam-Webster, the actual causes of yawning are poorly understood.”

CEFR level