wai

See also wa'i, wài, wǎi, and wāi

English

Pronunciation

• IPA: /waɪ/

Etymology 1

From why.

Adverb

wai

1. (Internet slang) why (a purposeful misspelling)

Conjunction

wai

1. (Internet slang) why (a purposeful misspelling)

Etymology 2

From Thai ไหว้ (wâi, “a gesture of thanks”)

Noun

wai (plural wais)

1. A Thai greeting wherein the palms are brought together in front of the face or chest, sometimes accompanied with a bow.

Anagrams

• IAW
• WIA

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'Are'are

wai

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

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Arosi

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

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Central Tagbanwa

Etymology

From Proto-Philippine, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Alternative forms

• ᝯᝡ

Noun

wai (Tagbanwa spelling ᝯᝡ)

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

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Fijian

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

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Gothic

Romanization

wai

1. See 𐍅𐌰𐌹

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Hano

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

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Hawaiian

Etymology

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈʋai̯/

Noun

wai

1. fresh water

Related terms

• kai

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Kambera

Etymology

From Proto-Central Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

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Kapingamarangi

Etymology

From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

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Malay

wai

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /wai/
• Rhymes: -ai, -i

Noun

wai

1. river (large stream which drains a landmass)

Synonyms

• sungai
• alur
• alir
• batang
• bengawan
• kali
• ci

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Mandarin

Romanization

wai

1. Nonstandard spelling of wāi.
2. Nonstandard spelling of wǎi.
3. Nonstandard spelling of wài.

Usage notes

English transcriptions of Chinese speech often fail to distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Chinese language, using words such as this one without the appropriate indication of tone.

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Maori

Etymology 1

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)
2. liquid

Derived terms

• hauwai
• wai māori

Etymology 2

Compare Tahitian vai.

Pronoun

wai

1. who?

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Owa

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

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Pitjantjatjara

Adverb

wai

1. hey

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Tae'

Etymology

From Proto-South Sulawesi *wai, from Proto-Sunda-Sulawesi *wair, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

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Tangoa

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

wai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

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Torres Strait Creole

Noun

wai

1. (eastern dialect) a coconut embryo

Synonyms

• musu (western dialect)

Usage notes

Wai (eastern dialect) or musu (western dialect) is the first stage of coconut growth. It is followed by giru (eastern dialect) or musu koknat (western dialect).