"to yawn, gape with sleepiness," 1620s, from Latin oscitatus, past-participle of oscitare, oscitari "to gape, yawn" (see oscitant).
Entries linking to oscitate
oscitant adj.
"sleepy, drowsy, sluggish," literally "yawning, gaping," 1620s, from Latin oscitans "listless, sluggish, lazy," present participle of oscitare "to gape, yawn," from os citare "to move the mouth" (see oral and cite). Related: Oscitancy.