W

See also: Appendix:Variations of "w"

W U+0057, W LATIN CAPITAL LETTER W ← V [U+0056] Basic Latin X → [U+0058]

Ｗ U+FF37, Ｗ FULLWIDTH LATIN CAPITAL LETTER W ← Ｖ [U+FF36] Halfwidth and Fullwidth Forms Ｘ → [U+FF38]

Translingual

Alternative forms

• UU, Uu, VV, Vv (obsolete)

Etymology

From a modification of the Latin letter V (“ve”), from the Etruscan letter 𐌖 (u, “u”), from the Ancient Greek letter Υ (U, “ypsilon”), derived from the Phoenician letter 𐤅‎ (w, “waw”), from the Egyptian hieroglyph 𓏲.

Letter

W (lower case w)

1. The twenty-third letter of the basic modern Latin alphabet.

See also

• (Latin script):  Aa  Bb  Cc  Dd  Ee  Ff  Gg  Hh  Ii  Jj  Kk  Ll  Mm  Nn  Oo  Pp  Qq  Rr  Sſs  Tt  Uu  Vv  Ww  Xx  Yy  Zz
• (Variations of letter W):  Ẃẃ  Ẁẁ  Ŵŵ  Ẅẅ  Ẇẇ  Ẉẉ  W̊ẘ  Ⱳⱳ  ᴡ  Ｗｗ
• (Letter combinations):  Ꜳꜳ  Ææ  ᴁᴭ  Ǽǽ  Ǣǣ  Ꜵꜵ  Åå  Ꜷꜷ  Ꜹꜹ  Ꜻꜻ  Ꜽꜽ  ct  ȸ  DZDzdz  DŽDždž  ᴂᵆ  ᴔ  &  ff  fi  ffi  fl  ffl  ℔  IJij  LJLjlj  Ỻỻ  Ŋŋ  NJNjnj  Œœ  ɶ  Ꝏꝏ  Ȣȣᴕ  ȹ  ẞß  ſtst  ᵫ  Ůů  Ww  Ꝡꝡ

Symbol

W

1. (chemistry) Symbol for tungsten.
2. (metrology) Symbol for watt.
3. (biochemistry) IUPAC 1-letter abbreviation for tryptophan
4. (physics) work

Gallery

• Letter styles
• 

  Capital and lowercase versions of W, in normal and italic type

• 

  Uppercase and lowercase W in Fraktur

See also

Other representations of W:

NATO phonetic: Whiskey Morse code: ·–– Braille: ⠺ ASL Manual: W

Signal flag:

Semaphore:

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English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdʌb(əl)juː/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈdʌbə(l)ju/, sometimes reduced to /ˈdʌbjə/.
• (US, abbreviation, rare, nonstandard) IPA^(key): /ˈdʌb/

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Letter

W (upper case, lower case w, plural Ws or W's)

1. The twenty-third letter of the English alphabet, called double U and written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) letter; A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

Proper noun

W

1. Wednesday
2. (informal) George W. Bush, US politician

Synonyms

• (Wednesday): Wed
• (George W. Bush): Dubya

Noun

W (plural Ws)

1. (sports, countable) wins
2. (cricket) wicket
3. (uncountable) west
4. (law enforcement) warrant

Derived terms

• (sports): OTW
• (compass): NNW, NW, SSW, SW, WNW, WSW

Related terms

• (sports): L, T, OTL
• (compass): E, N, S

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Afar

Letter

W

1. The twentieth letter in the Afar alphabet.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, T t, S s, E e, C c, K k, X x, I i, D d, Q q, R r, F f, G g, O o, L l, M m, N n, U u, W w, H h, Y y

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Basque

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /u.be bi.koit͡s̻/, [u.βe βi.koi̯t͡s̻], [u.βe βi.kojt͡s̻]

Letter

W (upper case, lower case w)

1. The twenty-fourth letter of the Basque alphabet, called uve bikoitz and written in the Latin script.

Usage notes

• Used chiefly in recent loanwords and foreign proper nouns.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, C c (Ç ç), D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, Ñ ñ, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u (Ü ü), V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

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Chinese

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): wàn (wan⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄨㄢˋ

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: wàn
    • Zhuyin: ㄨㄢˋ
    • Wade–Giles: wan4
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: wann
    • Tongyong Pinyin: wàn
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /wän⁵¹/

Numeral

W

1. (Internet slang) Alternative form of 萬／万 (wàn).

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Danish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɔbəlveː/, [ˈd̥ʌb̥əlˌveːˀ]

Letter

W (lowercase w)

1. the twenty-third letter of the Danish alphabet

See also

• (Latin-script letters) bogstav; A a (Á á), B b, C c, D d, E e (É é), F f, G g, H h, I i (Í í), J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o (Ó ó), P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u (Ú ú), V v, W w, X x, Y y (Ý ý), Z z, Æ æ (Ǽ ǽ), Ø ø (Ǿ ǿ), Å å (Ǻ ǻ)

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Dutch

Pronunciation

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /ʋeː/

• Audio

  (file)

Letter

W (capital, lowercase w)

1. The twenty-third letter of the Dutch alphabet.

Adverb

W

1. Abbreviation of west; west

See also

• Previous letter: V
• Next letter: X

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Esperanto

Noun

W

1. Abbreviation of uesto (“west”).

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Finnish

Letter

W (upper case, lower case w)

1. A letter of the Finnish alphabet, called kaksoisvee and written in the Latin script.

Usage notes

• In the Finnish alphabet, W is a variant of V.
• Used only in loanwords and proper names with old spelling (compare Wirtanen).

See also

• (Latin-script letters) kirjain; A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s (Š š), T t, U u, V v (W w), X x, Y y, Z z (Ž ž), Å å, Ä ä, Ö ö

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German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /veː/

• Audio

  (file)

• Homophone: weh

Letter

W (upper case, lower case w)

1. The twenty-third letter of the German alphabet.

Noun

W

1. Abbreviation of West; west

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Hungarian

Pronunciation

• (phoneme): IPA^(key): [ˈv]
• (letter name): IPA^(key): [ˈduplɒveː]

Letter

W (upper case, lower case w)

1. A letter of the extended Hungarian alphabet, called dupla vé and written in the Latin script.

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, front unrounded harmony)
	singular	plural
nominative	W	W-k
accusative	W-t	W-ket
dative	W-nek	W-knek
instrumental	W-vel	W-kkel
causal-final	W-ért	W-kért
translative	W-vé	W-kké
terminative	W-ig	W-kig
essive-formal	W-ként	W-kként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	W-ben	W-kben
superessive	W-n	W-ken
adessive	W-nél	W-knél
illative	W-be	W-kbe
sublative	W-re	W-kre
allative	W-hez	W-khez
elative	W-ből	W-kből
delative	W-ről	W-kről
ablative	W-től	W-ktől
non-attributive possessive - singular	W-é	W-ké
non-attributive possessive - plural	W-éi	W-kéi

Possessive forms of W
possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	W-m	W-im
2nd person sing.	W-d	W-id
3rd person sing.	W-je	W-i
1st person plural	W-nk	W-ink
2nd person plural	W-tek	W-itek
3rd person plural	W-jük	W-ik

See also

• (Latin-script letters) betű; A a, Á á, B b, C c, Cs cs, D d, Dz dz, Dzs dzs, E e, É é, F f, G g, Gy gy, H h, I i, Í í, J j, K k, L l, Ly ly, M m, N n, Ny ny, O o, Ó ó, Ö ö, Ő ő, P p, R r, S s, Sz sz, T t, Ty ty, U u, Ú ú, Ü ü, Ű ű, V v, Z z, Zs zs. Only in the extended alphabet: Q q W w X x Y y. Commonly used: ch. Also defined: à ë. In surnames (selection): ä aa cz ds eé eö ew oe oó th ts ÿ.

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Ido

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /w/

Letter

W (lower case w)

1. The twenty-third letter of the Ido alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) litero; A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

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Italian

Pronunciation

• (name of letter) IPA^(key): /ˌvu‿dˈdop.pja/, /ˈdop.pja vu/
• (name of letter, for brevity in common acronyms) IPA^(key): /ˈvu/
• Homophones: V, vu
• (phonetic realization) IPA^(key): /v/, /w/ (varies depending on the source language of the loanword)

Letter

W m or f (invariable, lower case w)

1. The twenty-third letter of the Latin alphabet, called doppia vu or vu doppia in Italian.

Usage notes

• The letter W is not considered part of the Italian alphabet. It is found mainly in loanwords.

Symbol

W

1. viva, evviva (“up with”)

Antonyms

• M (down with)

See also

• (Latin-script letters) lettera; A a (À à), B b, C c, D d, E e (É é, È è), F f, G g, H h, I i (Í í, Ì ì, Πî, J j, K k), L l, M m, N n, O o (Ó ó, Ò ò), P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u (Ú ú, Ù ù), V v (W w, X x, Y y), Z z
• Italian alphabet on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

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Japanese

Noun

W(ダブル) • (daburu) 

1. Alternative spelling of ダブル (“double”)

See also

• ダブリュー (daburyū)

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Malay

Pronunciation

• (Name of letter) IPA^(key): [dabliu], [dabəliu], [dabəlju], [dablju]
• (Phoneme) IPA^(key): [w]

Letter

W

1. The twenty-third letter of the Malay alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

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Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vu/

Letter

W (upper case, lower case w)

1. The twenty-eighth letter of the Polish alphabet, called wu and written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, Ą ą, B b, C c, Ć ć, D d, E e, Ę ę, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, Ł ł, M m, N n, Ń ń, O o, Ó ó, P p, R r, S s, Ś ś, T t, U u, W w, Y y, Z z, Ź ź, Ż ż

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Portuguese

Letter

W (upper case, lower case w)

1. The twenty-third letter of the Portuguese alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) letra; A a (Á á, À à,  â, àã), B b, C c (Ç ç), D d, E e (É é, Ê ê), F f, G g, H h, I i (Í í), J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o (Ó ó, Ô ô, Õ õ), P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u (Ú ú), V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

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Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /v/, /w/, /u/

Letter

W (upper case, lower case w)

1. The twenty-eighth letter of the Romanian alphabet, called dublu ve or dublu vî and written in the Latin script.

Usage notes

Used chiefly in recent loanwords and foreign proper nouns.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, Ă ă,  â, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, Πî, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, Ș ș, T t, Ț ț, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

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Saanich

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /w/

Letter

W

1. The thirty-third letter of the Saanich alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A, Á, Ⱥ, B, C, Ć, Ȼ, D, E, H, I, Í, J, K, Ꝁ, Ꝃ, ₭, Ḵ, Ḱ, L, Ƚ, M, N, Ṉ, O, P, Q, S, Ś, T, Ⱦ, Ṯ, Ŧ, U, W, W̲, X, X̲, Y, Z, s, ,

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Somali

Pronunciation

• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /w/, /u̯/, /ʉ̯/
• (letter name): IPA^(key): /wæʉ̯/

Letter

W upper case (lower case w)

1. The twentieth letter of the Somali alphabet, called waw and written in the Latin script.

Usage notes

1. The twentieth letter of the Somali alphabet, which follows Arabic abjad order. It is preceded by N and followed by H.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) ', B b, T t, J j, X x, Kh kh, D d, R r, S s, Sh sh, Dh dh, C c, G g, F f, Q q, K k, L l, M m, N n, W w, H h, Y y, A a, E e, I i, O o, U u

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Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌube ˈdoble/, [ˌu.β̞e ˈð̞o.β̞le]

• IPA^(key): /ˈdoble ˌbe/, [ˈd̪o.β̞le ˌβ̞e]

Letter

W (upper case, lower case w)

1. the 24th letter of the Spanish alphabet

   Synonyms: doble u (Colombia, Mexico, Puerto Rico), doble ve (Latin America), uve doble (Spain), ve doble (Peru)

See also

• (Latin-script letters) letra; A a (Á á), B b, C c, D d, E e (É é), F f, G g, H h, I i (Í í), J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, Ñ ñ, O o (Ó ó), P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u (Ú ú, Ü ü), V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

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Welsh

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /uː/

Letter

W (upper case, lower case w)

1. The twenty-eighth letter of the Welsh alphabet, called w and written in the Latin script. It is preceded by U and followed by Y.

Mutation

• W cannot be mutated but when representing a vowel, does take h-prothesis, for example with the word wy (“egg”):

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	h-prothesis
wy	unchanged	unchanged	hwy
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

• However, when it represents the semivowel /w/, W cannot be mutated.

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
wal	unchanged	unchanged	unchanged
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) llythyren; A a (Á á, À à,  â, Ä ä), B b, C c, Ch ch, D d, Dd dd, E e (É é, È è, Ê ê, Ë ë), F f, Ff ff, G g, Ng ng, H h, I i (Í í, Ì ì, Πî, Ï ï), J j, L l, Ll ll, M m, N n, O o (Ó ó, Ò ò, Ô ô, Ö ö), P p, Ph ph, R r, Rh rh, S s, T t, Th th, U u (Ú ú, Ù ù, Û û, Ü ü), W w (Ẃ ẃ, Ẁ ẁ, Ŵ ŵ, Ẅ ẅ), Y y (Ý ý, Ỳ ỳ, Ŷ ŷ, Ÿ ÿ)

Further reading

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present) , “W”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies

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Yoruba

Pronunciation

• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /w/
• (letter name): IPA^(key): /wí/

Letter

W (upper case, lower case w)

1. The twenty-fourth letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called wí and written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) lẹ́tà; A a (Á á, À à, Ā ā), B b, D d, E e (É é, È è, Ē ē), Ẹ ẹ (Ẹ́ ẹ́, Ẹ̀ ẹ̀, Ẹ̄ ẹ̄), F f, G g, Gb gb, H h, I i (Í í, Ì ì, Ī ī), J j, K k, L l, M m (Ḿ ḿ, M̀ m̀, M̄ m̄), N n (Ń ń, Ǹ ǹ, N̄ n̄), O o (Ó ó, Ò ò, Ō ō), Ọ ọ (Ọ́ ọ́, Ọ̀ ọ̀, Ọ̄ ọ̄), P p, R r, S s, Ṣ ṣ, T t, U u (Ú ú, Ù ù, Ū ū), W w, Y y

• As used in Benin: (Latin-script letters) lɛ́tà; A a, B b, D d, E e, Ɛ ɛ, F f, G g, Gb gb, H h, I i, J j, K k, Kp kp, L l, M m, N n, O o, Ɔ ɔ, P p, R r, S s, Sh sh, T t, U u, W w, Y y

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Zulu

Letter

W (upper case, lower case w)

1. The twenty-third letter of the Zulu alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z