/ ˈkæzəm; NAmE / noun
1.
[ C ] ( literary ) a deep crack or opening in the ground
2.
[ sing. ] chasm (between A and B) ( formal ) a very big difference between two people or groups, for example because they have different attitudes
SYN gulf
••
WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent. (denoting an opening up of the sea or land, as in an earthquake): from Latin chasma , from Greek khasma gaping hollow.