English spellings/Catalogs/W

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This page lists pronunciations of English words that begin with W. To see a different letter (or the main page) navigate with the table at the top.

W

W *doúble-û

wácky cf. wháck

ẁad

ẁaffle

wág

wágon - ´waggon’ is French

wâil cry = BrE whâle sea

wâist body = wâste spend

wâit time = wèight heavy = Wâite person

wâive dismiss = wâve hand, sea

Wâles Welsh = BrE whâles sea

wålk -åk

wåll

Ẁallace = Ẁallis, rhyming with Hóllis

Wallônia Wó-

Walloôn Wó-

wålrus

Wåltham -təm

wåltz *wålse

ẁan pale *wón cf. wòn win

ẁander roam cf. wònder what?

wâne less = Wâyne person = wâin wagon

ẁannabê cf. ẁallabỳ

ẁant desire cf. wôn’t will not

wår battle = wŏre wear

wãrehouse cf. whŏrehouse h-

wãres market = weãrs clothes

wårhéad one word

wårm hot cf. wörm wriggle

wårn caution = wŏrn wear = Wårne person

wårt

ẁarrant *wórrənt

ẁarranty cf. guarantêe from same root

wårring

ẁarrior cf. wòrrier

Ẁarrington *Wórrington, cf. Dórrington, Nórrington

wårt

Ẁarwick *Wórrick

wãry

ẁas *wóz

ẁash

Ẁashington

ẁasp

wâste loss = wâist body

ẁatchtòwer one word

wåter cf. Wålter

ẁatt electricity = BrE ẁhat question

ẁattage *wóttij

wâvelength one word

wê us = wêe little, toilet

wêak feeble = wêek days

wêal mark = BrE whêel traffic

wéapon

Wêar River = Wêir person = wêir water, rhyming with êar, hêar and fêar

wéars clothes = wâres shop

wêary

wéather cloudy = wéther ram = BrE whéther if

wébsite one word

Wédnesday Wénz-

wèigh heavy = wây route, manner = BrE whèy curds

wèight heavy = wâit time

wêir water = Wêir person = wê’re are, cf. wìêld, fìêld

wêird odd cf. wìêld carry

wê’ll shall cf. wéll good

wén lump = BrE whén time

wëre was cf. whére place, wê’re we are

wêrewolf or wêrwolf -wùlf

wéther animal = wéather rain = BrE whéther if

wê’re we are

wh- BrE w-, AmE hw-

wháck cf. wácky

whâle sea BrE = wâil cry

whám

ẁhat question BrE = wót jocular = ẁatt electric

whêedle

whêel round BrE = wêal mark

whén time BrE = wén tumour

whére place cf. wëre was

whereás one word, *wéəráz

whét appetite BrE = wét water

whéther if BrE = wéather rain = wéther ram

whèy curds BrE = wèigh weight = wây method

whîne moan BrE = wîne drink

whínge -nj, cf. wíng

whïrl

whïrlwind one word

whïrr noise BrE = wëre be

whísky or whískey (the former usually refers to Scotch, the latter to bourbon)

whísper

whístle *whíssle

whít small = Whít Whitsun BrE = wít humour

whîte colour BrE = Wîght Isle

whîteẁash one word

whíther where BrE = wíther decay

Whítsun -u-

who person *hoô, cf. WHO World Health Organisation *doúble-yoû-âitch-ô

whôle all = hôle gap

whôlesâle h-, one word

whôlly completely two l’s pronounced; ≈ hôly sacred – where only one l is heard

whoôping-cóugh hoô-

whoòps!

whoòsh rhymes with pùsh

whópping big BrE = Ẁapping London

whŏre prostitute = hŏar frost = Hŏare person

whose belonging = who’s who is/has *hoôz. There is similar potential confusion as with the more notorious ít's ít ís and íts of it

whŷ

wícked evil *wíckíd cf. wíki

wícked wick *wíct

Wíckham = Wýcombe

wìêld cf. wêir, wêird

Wikipêdia

wîles stratagems cf. whîle during

wílful in AmE can be wíllful, which is unusual: in most words it is the BrE spelling which has the double l before a suffix, as in dîalling

wíll verb = Wíll William

wílly-nílly

wîly

wînd round

wínd blow

wíndbag one word

wîne drink = BrE whîne moan

Wiscónsin

wísp

wít humour = BrE whít small = BrE Whít Whitsun

wítch-húnt

wíther decay = BrE whíther where

withhéld second h aspirated

withhôld second h aspirated

withín one word

withòut one word

Wodehouse PG = Woòdhouse Emma, etc.

wôe sad = BrE whôa horse

wók

wolf *wùlf = Woòlf person

woman *wùmən

women *wímmin

wòn game = òne only

wònder what? cf. ẁander roam

wòndrous

wónky

wôn’t will not = wônt habit, cf. ẁant require

woòd tree = woùld if

woòlly wool = Woòlley person

Worcester England = Woòster Bertie

wörd cf. wård

wörkingmán in AmE can be one word, BrE wörking mán

wörld

wŏrldwide one word

wörm

wòrry BrE; AmE wörry

wörship cf. wårship

Worcester *Wùster

wŏre wear = wår fight

wörse

wörsted worst

worsted cloth wû-

wörth

woùld if = woòd tree

would-be adjective hyphenated

woûnd injury

wòund wînd

wòw excitement cf. wôe depression

wráck pain = ráck frame, stretch

wráp parcel = ráp knock, speak

ẁrath anger = Róth person

wrêak make = rêek smell, cf. wréck collapse, réckless careless

wrêath noun unvoiced th as in bréath, different vowel sound

wrêathe verb voiced th, as in brêathe

wréck cf. réckless

wrést wrestle = rést repose

wrétch miserable = rétch vomit

wrîght artesan as in plâywright; = Wrîght person = wrîte letter = rîght side, correct = rîte ritual

wríng squeeze = ríng finger, bell

wrínkle cf. ránkle

wrîte written = wrîght etc.

wróngdoing one word, *róngdûing

wróng-foòt verb

wrôte write = rôte learning

wrúng wring = rúng ring, ladder

wrŷ humour = rŷe crop

wrŷlỳ wry = Rîley person

wùff

Wŷatt *Wŷət, cf. whîte