gapeseed: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Extremely Rare / ObsoleteArchaic, Literary, Humorous
Quick answer
What does “gapeseed” mean?
A humorous, archaic term referring to something used to deceive or cheat a credulous person (literally 'seed to make a person gape/stare foolishly').
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A humorous, archaic term referring to something used to deceive or cheat a credulous person (literally 'seed to make a person gape/stare foolishly').
Historically, a trick or deception sold to the gullible, such as a worthless item. It can also refer to something that causes one to stare in wonder or astonishment.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No contemporary regional differences; the word is equally obsolete in both varieties. Historical usage was primarily British.
Connotations
Carries a quaint, 18th-19th century British connotation of street trickery or marketplace fraud.
Frequency
Effectively zero frequency in modern English for both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “gapeseed” in a Sentence
to sell (someone) gapeseedto be fooled by gapeseedVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in historical/literary studies discussing obsolete terms or 18th-century culture.
Everyday
Not used. If used, it would be as a deliberate, obscure joke.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “gapeseed”
- Using it as a modern synonym for 'something amazing'.
- Misspelling as 'gape seed'.
- Assuming it relates to agricultural seeds.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it is an obsolete, archaic word not used in modern English outside of historical or humorous literary contexts.
You can, but it will almost certainly not be understood. It would be like using Shakespearean slang today.
It is primarily a noun. There is no recorded modern verb or adjective form.
From 'gape' (to stare open-mouthed) + 'seed'. Literally, a 'seed' to cause someone to gape, i.e., a trick to astonish or deceive a simpleton.
A humorous, archaic term referring to something used to deceive or cheat a credulous person (literally 'seed to make a person gape/stare foolishly').
Gapeseed is usually archaic, literary, humorous in register.
Gapeseed: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡeɪpsiːd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡeɪpˌsid/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to sell gapeseed (to someone)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a GAWking PEASANT staring with a gaping mouth at a SEED he was tricked into buying. GA-PE(A)SANT-SEED -> GAPESEED.
Conceptual Metaphor
DECEPTION IS A WORTHLESS COMMODITY (sold to the gullible).
Practice
Quiz
In its original historical context, 'gapeseed' was most likely: