Where does “wow” come from?
wow (English) comes from Scots wow, from Scots wave, from Middle English waven, from Old English wafian, from Proto-Germanic wabōną, from Proto-Indo-European webʰ- — to weave, braid.
wow (English): An indication of excitement, surprise,...
Definitions
- An indication of excitement, surprise,...
Ancestry of “wow”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scots | wow | wow (an exclamation of astonishment or amazement) |
| 2 | Scots | wave | to wave, to move back and forth |
| 3 | Middle English | waven | To shake, swing or totter; to move to and fro; To... |
| 4 | Old English | wafian | to wave; to be agitated, astonished, amazed; to... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | wabōną | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | webʰ- | to weave, braid |