English Reference
noun · verb

mouth

n. · v.
US /ˈmaʊθ/ mouth UK spelling mouthing, mouths

  1. 01 A1 Beginner Medicine

    n.the opening in your face that you use to eat, breathe, and speak.

    n.the oral cavity and its external opening, used for the ingestion of food and the articulation of sound.

    Simple

    Keep your mouth closed while you are chewing your food.

    In context

    The dentist asked the patient to open her mouth wide so he could inspect the molars for signs of decay.

    oral cavity
  2. 02 B1 Intermediate

    n.the place where a river enters the sea, or the entrance to a cave or tunnel.

    n.the point where a river issues into a larger body of water, or the entrance to a hollow structure such as a cave or valley.

    Simple

    The city was built near the mouth of the river to help with trade.

    In context

    As they approached the mouth of the cavern, the temperature dropped significantly and the sound of dripping water echoed from within.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced InformalSlang

    n.a person who talks too much or says rude things.

    n.a person who is excessively talkative, boastful, or prone to making tactless remarks.

    Simple

    Don't listen to him; he's just a big mouth who likes to complain.

    In context

    The office mouth couldn't help but reveal the details of the confidential merger before the official announcement was made.

    loudmouthchatterbox
  4. 04 B2 Upper Intermediate

    v.to move your lips as if you are speaking, but without making any sound.

    v.to form words with the lips silently, often to communicate privately or to accompany a recording.

    Simple

    She mouthed the words 'thank you' from across the crowded room.

    In context

    During the performance, the backup singers were clearly mouthing the lyrics rather than actually singing into their microphones.

    lip syncshape
  5. 05 C1 Advanced Formal

    v.to say something without really meaning it or thinking about it.

    v.to utter words or ideas in a mechanical or insincere manner, often without genuine conviction.

    Simple

    The politician just mouthed the same old promises during his speech.

    In context

    It was disappointing to hear the CEO simply mouth corporate platitudes instead of addressing the employees' specific concerns about job security.


From Middle English mouth, from Old English mūþ, from Proto-West Germanic munþ, from Proto-Germanic munþaz (“mouth”), from Proto-Indo-European *ment- (“to chew; jaw, mouth”). Cognate with Scots mooth (“mouth”), North Frisian mös, müs, Mür (“mouth”), West Frisian mûn (“mouth”), Dutch mond (“mouth”), muide (“river mouth”) and mui (“riptide”), German Mund (“mouth”), Luxembourgish Mond (“mouth”), Danish mund (“mouth”), Faroese muður, munnur (“mouth”), Icelandic munnur (“mouth”), Swedish mun (“mouth”), Norwegian munn (“mouth”), Gothic 𐌼𐌿𐌽𐌸𐍃 (munþs, “mouth”), Latin mentum (“chin”) and mandō (“to chew”), Ancient Greek μάσταξ (mástax, “jaws, mouth”) and μασάομαι (masáomai, “to chew”), Albanian mjekër (“chin, beard”), Welsh mant (“jawbone”), Hittite [script needed] (mēni, “chin”). The verb is from Middle English mouthen, from the noun.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Middle English mouthen
Level A1 · Beginner
Frequency Very common
Updated