A large bay or inlet of the sea partly enclosed by land. Metaphorically, a wide gap or difference between people or things.
From Old French 'golfe', from Italian 'golfo', ultimately from Greek 'kolpos' meaning bosom or bay. The metaphorical meaning of a wide separation developed from the geographical sense.
The Persian Gulf contains about 60% of the world's proven oil reserves, making this particular gulf one of the most geopolitically significant bodies of water on Earth. The metaphorical 'gulf between' people mirrors the way these waters can both connect and separate lands.
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