وش

See also: ـوش

Baluchi

Etymology

From Proto-Iranian. Cognate with Persian خوش (xoš), which see for more.

Adjective

وش • (waš(š))

1. tasty
2. pleasant
3. good, fine
4. happy

Derived terms

• وش وش (waš waš, “gently, slowly, steadily”, interjection or adverb)

Further reading

• Geiger, Wilhelm (1890), Etymologie des Balūčī (in German), Munich: Academy Press, § 407, page 47
• Korn, Agnes (2005), Towards a Historical Grammar of Balochi: Studies in Balochi Historical Phonology and Vocabulary (Beiträge zur Iranistik; 26)‎^[1], Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, pages 132, 226, 412
• Mockler, Edward (1877), A Grammar of the Baloochee Language, as it is Spoken in Makrān (Ancient Gedrosia), in the Persi-Arabic and Roman Characters, London: Henry S. King & Co., § 148, page 113
• Uppsala University (2025), “وش”, in Southern Baluchi Dictionary (Webonary) (in Baluchi), Dallas, Texas, USA: SIL International, published 2019.

Egyptian Arabic

Etymology

Assimilated form of Arabic وَجْه (wajh) based on a palatalized pronunciation of the -j- ([ɟ], [ʝ], [dʒ], [ʒ]), which is uncommon in northern Egypt. This word has traditionally been explained by positing that such a pronunciation was more prevalent in the past, but the evidence for this assumption has recently been subject to doubt. Alternatively, this word may be a loan from Saʽidi Arabic or from Levantine Arabic (cf. North Levantine Arabic وش (wišš), وج (wijj)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [wɪʃː], (before a consonant) [wɪʃːe], (sentence-final) [wɪʃ]

Noun

وشّ • (wišš) m (plural وشوش (wišū́š))

1. (anatomy) face
2. the front of something

Adverb

وشّ • (wišš)

1. straight up

Najdi Arabic

Preposition

وش (wɪʃ)

1. what

   وش اسمك؟ ― What's your name?

North Levantine Arabic

Noun

وشّ • (wišš) m

1. alternative form of وج (wijj): face

Persian

Etymology 1

Akin to Old Armenian վուշ (vuš), Mazanderani وش (vaš, “flax”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): /ˈwaʃ/

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [wäʃ]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [wäʃ]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [wäʃ]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [wäʃ]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [væʃ]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [väʃ]

Readings
Classical reading?	waš
Dari reading?	waš
Iranian reading?	vaš
Tajik reading?	vaš

Noun

وش • (vaš)

1. boll

Etymology 2

Borrowed from a Northwestern Iranian cognate of Persian خوش (xwaš) and thus a doublet of خوش (xwaš); see it for more.

Adjective

وش • (vaš)

1. good, excellent, choice, beautiful, fair

References

• Korn, Agnes (2005), Towards a Historical Grammar of Balochi: Studies in Balochi Historical Phonology and Vocabulary (Beiträge zur Iranistik; 26)‎^[2], Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, page 132, footnote 298
• Lentz, Wolfgang (1926), “Die nordiranischen Elemente in der neupersischen Literatursprache bei Firdosi”, in Zeitschrift für Indologie und Iranistik‎^[3] (in German), volume 4, § 169, page 304
• Steingass, Francis Joseph (1892), “وش”, in A Comprehensive Persian–English dictionary, London: Routledge & K. Paul, page 1468

Sudanese Arabic

Etymology

Assimilated form of Arabic وَجْه (wajh). Compare Egyptian Arabic and North Levantine Arabic وش (wišš).

Noun

وش • (wašš) m (plural وشوش (wušūš))

1. (anatomy) face
   • 2024, كِتاب العَهد الجَّديد مِن الكِتاب المُقَدَّس‎^[4], Pioneer Bible Translators, ٣ يُوحَنَّا [3 John] 1:14:

     لَكِن عِندي رَجاء أن أشوفَك بَعَد شوَيَه، و بِنِتكَلَّم وَش لِوَش

     lākin ʕindi rajā ʔan ašūfak baʕd šwayya, wa binitkallam wašš le-wašš.

     but I hope to see you soon, and we will speak face to face.

Descendants

• Juba Arabic: wosh

References

• Hillelson, Sigmar (1925), Sudan Arabic: English–Arabic Vocabulary‎^[5], London, United Kingdom: Sudan Government, page 104
• The Catholic Language Institute Khartoum (C.L.I.K) (2008), Spoken Arabic of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan, page 294