What is "gaper"

Gaper \Gap"er\ (g[=a]p"[~e]r), n.

1. One who gapes.

2. (Zo["o]l.)

   1. A European fish. See 4th Comber.

   2. A large edible clam ( Schizoth[ae]rus Nuttalli), of the Pacific coast; -- called also gaper clam.

   3. An East Indian bird of the genus Cymbirhynchus, related to the broadbills.

1630s, "one who stares open-mouthed in wonder," agent noun from gape (v.). Gaper delay in traffic control parlance attested by 1995.

n. 1 One who gapes; a starer. 2 Any of several species of burrowing clams. 3 The comber, a fish of the species (taxlink Serranus cabrilla species noshow=1). 4 The fish (taxlink Champsodon capensis species noshow=1)

A gaper is a stone or wooden head, often depicting a Moor, on the front of a building in the Netherlands. It was used to indicate that the building is a pharmacy.

The literal translation of "gaper" would be yawner; the figure is always displayed with an open mouth, sometimes with a pill resting on his tongue. This indicates that in fact he wasn't yawning, but opening his mouth to take medicine.

The existing gapers in Amsterdam are almost all of Moorish appearance. This wasn't supposed to be the forefather of today's pharmacist, but rather to indicate the exotic origin of the medicines. The apothecary would attend market days all over the country and his assistant would play the character of an ill man. After taking the pill, the assistant (often dressed as a Moor) would all of a sudden feel much better and perform a dance.

Later, when pharmacists opened shops instead of travelling through the country, the symbol of the Moorish man (often depicted with a pill on his tongue) would tell the illiterate audience that this was the home of a pharmacist.

Nowadays these symbols are rare. Outside museum collections, fewer than 50 can be seen on buildings. Some have now lent their names to cafes, such as De Vergulde Gaper in Amsterdam.