March 9, 2012, 12:06 am agape •\ə-ˈgāp also -ˈgap\• adjective : with the mouth wide open as in wonder or awe The word agape has appeared in 27 New York Times articles in the past year, including on Sept. 6 in "Why Vanishing Sharks Deserve Attention, and Even Affection," by Sandra Blakeslee: When fear is set aside, sharks emerge as likable, fascinating creatures. They are fish with skeletons made from cartilage, whose ancestors swam the oceans before the continents took their current shape. Found the world over, in saltwater and fresh water, they range from six inches long to the size of a bus. Some large sharks must swim at all times, mouth agape, to take in oxygen - which is why a large octopus can sneak up, grab and immobilize a shark and drown it. The Word of the Day and its definitions have been provided by Vocabulary.com and the Visual Thesaurus. Learn more about the word "agape" and see usage examples across a range of subjects on the Vocabulary dictionary.