Definition of maw

The word's meaning expanded during the Middle English period, around the 12th century, to include the interior of the stomach or gut of an animal, such as a slaughtered cow or sheep. Over time, the spelling also changed to 'maw.' One interesting etymological fact about "maw" is that it shares a common English ancestor with the Old Norse word 'm wherever' and the Old Frisian word 'mägha,' which both mean 'mouth.' This potentially indicates the likelihood that "maw" was adopted into English during the Viking Age when Old Norse was spoken alongside Old English in England. Another interesting fact about "maw" is its role in imperial Anglo-Saxon cuisine during the 9th century. Wulfstan, the Anglo-Saxon chronicle author, referred to an eel dish as "mawaene," indicating an eel wrapped in the animal's internal organs, possibly its stomach. The "maw" has continued to appear in dialectical English, particularly in Scottish and Irish English, where it is still used to describe the interior of an animal's body. But today, the usage of the "maw" is most likely to be found in archaic texts or poetry, where it serves as a way to recall the old English language and literature.