wow

English Online Dictionary. What means wow‎? What does wow mean?

English

Etymology 1

Attested since the 16th century; borrowed from Scots wow; ultimately a natural exclamation.

Pronunciation

• enPR: wou, IPA^(key): /waʊ/, [waʊ̯]
• Rhymes: -aʊ

Interjection

wow

1. An indication of excitement, surprise, astonishment, or pleasure.
2. An expression of amazement, awe, or admiration.

3. Used sarcastically to express disapproval of something.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:wow

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

wow (third-person singular simple present wows, present participle wowing, simple past and past participle wowed)

1. (transitive, informal) To amaze or awe.

Translations

Noun

wow (plural wows)

1. (informal) Anything exceptionally surprising, unbelievable, outstanding, etc.

Derived terms

• wowless

Etymology 2

Imitative.

Noun

wow (countable and uncountable, plural wows)

1. (audio) A relatively slow form of flutter (pitch variation) which can affect both gramophone records and tape recorders.

See also

Anagrams

• oww

Atikamekw

Noun

wow

1. egg

Chinese

Etymology 1

From English wow, used in the sarcastic Internet slang Wow! Old news is so exciting!.

Pronunciation

Verb

wow

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese, Internet slang, of news) to become outdated; to become old news

Related terms

• ONISE
• old news is so 唔識串／old news is so 唔识串

Etymology 2

From English wow.

Pronunciation

Interjection

wow

1. (Internet slang) wow!

Japanese

Etymology

Borrowed from English whoa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [β̞o̞ː]

Interjection

wow(ウォー) • (wō) 

1. (chiefly in popular music) wow; whoa

Middle English

Noun

wow

1. Alternative form of wowe

Polish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English wow.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwaw/
• Rhymes: -aw
• Syllabification: wow

Interjection

wow

1. (colloquial) wow

Further reading

• wow in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Scots

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ʍʌu]

Etymology 1

Attested in Older Scots a. 1500. Probably originally imitative. Compare Scottish Gaelic bhòbh (“alas”).

Interjection

wow

1. wow (an exclamation of astonishment or amazement)

   Synonym: vow

2. (archaic) woe (an exclamation of grief)

   Synonym: wae

Etymology 2

From Middle English wowe, from Old English wogian (“to woo”).

Verb

wow (third-person singular simple present wows, present participle wowin, simple past wowt, past participle wowt)

1. (archaic, transitive or intransitive) to woo, court; to solicit affection (from someone)

Etymology 3

Attested from the 18th century. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

wow (plural wows)

1. a howl, barking (as of a dog)

Verb

wow (third-person singular simple present wows, present participle wowin, simple past wowt, past participle wowt)

1. to howl, to bark

Etymology 4

Sound shift from wave.

Verb

wow (third-person singular simple present wows, present participle wowin, simple past wowt, past participle wowt)

1. to beckon, to signal by waving

References

Spanish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English wow.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwau/ [ˈwau̯]
• Rhymes: -au

Interjection

wow

1. wow (an indication of excitement or surprise)

Usage notes

According to Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.

Swedish

Interjection

wow

1. wow

See also

• oj

References

• wow in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• wow in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• wow in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)