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
Wédgwood *Wédgewood, *wéjwùd
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 cunning = Wŷlie, etc. persons
wînd round
wínd blow
wíndbag one word
wîne drink = BrE whîne moan
Wiscónsin
wîsecrack one word
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