word

Definitions from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Jump to: navigation, search
See also -word
Wikipedia has articles on:

Wikipedia

Contents

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From Middle English < Old English word < Proto-Germanic *wurða- < Proto-Indo-European base *werə- (“‘to speak’”).

[edit] Pronunciation

Wikipedia has an article on:

Wikipedia

[edit] Noun

Singular
word

Plural
words

word (plural words)

  1. (linguistics) A distinct unit of language (sounds in speech or written letters) with a particular meaning, composed of one or more morphemes, and also of one or more phonemes that determine its sound pattern.
  2. A distinct unit of language which is approved by some authority.
    • 1896, Israel Zangwill, Without Prejudice, p21
      “Ain’t! How often am I to tell you ain’t ain’t a word?”
    • 1999, Linda Greenlaw, The Hungry Ocean, Hyperion, p11
      Fisherwoman isn’t even a word. It’s not in the dictionary.
  3. Something promised.
    I give you my word that I will be there on time.
  4. News; tidings.
    Have you had any word from John yet?
  5. A discussion.
    I want to have a word with you.
  6. (telegraphy) A unit of text equivalent to five characters and one space.
  7. (computing) A numerical value with a bit width native to the machine.
  8. (group theory) The written product of group elements and their inverses.
  9. (computer science) A finite string which is not a command or operator.
  10. (theology, sometimes ‘Word’) God.
  11. (theology, sometimes ‘Word’) The Bible.

[edit] Usage notes

  • (distinct unit of language): In English and other space-delimited languages, it is customary to treat "word" as referring to any sequence of characters delimited by spaces. However, this is not applicable to languages such as Chinese and Japanese, which are normally written without spaces, or to languages such as Vietnamese, which are written with a space between each syllable.

[edit] Synonyms

[edit] Derived terms

Derived terms

[edit] Translations

unit of language
something promised
computing sense
God
the word of God
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked

[edit] Verb

Infinitive
to word

Third person singular
words

Simple past
worded

Past participle
worded

Present participle
wording

to word (third-person singular simple present words, present participle wording, simple past and past participle worded)

  1. (transitive) To say or write (something) using particular words.
    I’m not sure how to word this letter to the council.

[edit] Synonyms

[edit] Translations

say or write using particular words

[edit] Interjection

word!

  1. (slang, emphatic, stereotypically urban) An abbreviated form of word up; a statement of the acknowledgment of fact with a hint of nonchalant approval.

[edit] Related terms

[edit] See also

[edit] Dutch

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Verb

word

  1. The first-person singular present tense of worden.
  2. The imperative of worden.

[edit] Old English

[edit] Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *wurða- < Proto-Indo-European *werdho- (“‘word’”) < Proto-Indo-European base *wer- (“‘speak’”); cognate with Old Frisian word, Old Saxon word (Dutch woord), Old High German wort (German Wort), Old Norse orð (Swedish ord), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌳 (waurd). The Proto-Indo-European root is also the source of Latin verbum, Lithuanian vardas, and, more distantly, of Ancient Greek εἴρω (eirō), “‘I say’”) and Old Slavonic rotiti sę (“‘to swear’”) (Russian ротиться (rotit’cja), “‘to vow’”)).

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Noun

word n. (plural word)

  1. word
  2. speech, utterance, statement
  3. verb
  4. news, information, rumour
  5. command, request
Retrieved from "http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/word"
Personal tools