Where does “uau” come from?

uau (Portuguese) comes from English wow, 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.

uau (Portuguese): wow; vav; waw

Definitions

  1. wow; vav; waw

Ancestry of “uau”, step by step

uau traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English wow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwowAn indication of excitement, surprise,...
2Scotswowwow (an exclamation of astonishment or amazement)
3Scotswaveto wave, to move back and forth
4Middle EnglishwavenTo shake, swing or totter; to move to and fro; To...
5Old Englishwafianto wave; to be agitated, astonished, amazed; to...
6Proto-Germanicwabōną
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwebʰ-to weave, braid

via Arabic وَاو

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Arabicوَاو

via Hebrew וי״ו

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hebrewוי״וVav, waw
Every word from Proto-Indo-European webʰ-Every word from Proto-Germanic wabōnąEvery word from Old English wafian