Breathing quickly and heavily, usually from exertion or excitement; short, rapid breaths.
From Old French 'pantaisier' meaning 'to gasp,' possibly from Latin 'pandere' (to open wide). The word has meant rapid breathing since medieval times.
Panting is one of the few human sounds that directly shows what we're thinking—you can't pant while calm, which is why it's used in literature to show emotion and why dogs panting became shorthand for innocence and eagerness.
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