Plural of chasm; deep, steep-sided openings in the earth, or figuratively, large gaps or divisions.
From Middle English 'chasme,' from Greek 'chasma' (χάσμα, gaping mouth), related to 'chainein' (χαίνειν, to gape/yawn). The plural 's' is the standard English nominalization. The term has been used metaphorically since ancient times to describe unbridgeable differences.
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