*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of wah

From Nepali वाँ दोन्काँ (wā̃ donkā̃).

4 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 4 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
noun

The red panda.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Nepali वाँ दोन्काँ (wā̃ donkā̃).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ne",
        "3": "वाँ दोन्काँ"
      },
      "expansion": "Nepali वाँ दोन्काँ (wā̃ donkā̃)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "वाँ दोन्काँ",
      "वाँ दोन्काँ#Nepali"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "The red panda."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "archaic",
        "slang"
      ],
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
intj

A cry of fright, distress, etc. (especially of an infant or young child) · A cry of amazement, delight, etc.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Imitative.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "onom",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "title": "Imitative"
      },
      "expansion": "Imitative"
    }
  ],
  "links": [],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "intj",
      "glosses": [
        "A cry of fright, distress, etc. (especially of an infant or young child)",
        "A cry of amazement, delight, etc."
      ],
      "tags": [],
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Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗
noun

wah-wah.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Imitative.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "onom",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "title": "Imitative"
      },
      "expansion": "Imitative"
    }
  ],
  "links": [],
  "references": [],
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  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "wah-wah."
      ],
      "tags": [],
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Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗
intj

Wow!; whoa! (expressing surprise, gratification, exhaustion or exasperation)

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Cantonese 嘩 /哗 (waa³) or Mandarin 哇 (wa).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Borrowed-form mention嘩yue
  • Borrowed-form mention哇cmn
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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        "3": "嘩",
        "tr": "waa³"
      },
      "expansion": "Cantonese 嘩 /哗 (waa³)"
    },
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "cmn",
        "3": "哇",
        "tr": "wa"
      },
      "expansion": "Mandarin 哇 (wa)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "嘩",
      "嘩#Cantonese"
    ],
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      "哗#Cantonese"
    ],
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      "哇#Mandarin"
    ]
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      ],
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        "Singlish"
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for wah →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-d2Fo