word
EN
A single distinct meaningful element of speech or writing, or a promise or statement
Can you say that word again?
Could you repeat that word?
Etymology
The word derives from the Old English word "weorð", which originally meant 'promise, report, fame' and shifted to its modern meaning of a discrete unit of language over centuries of linguistic evolution.
Cultural Notes
As an interjection, "word" is a common informal slang term in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) that spread to mainstream Western youth slang in the late 20th century, used to signal enthusiastic agreement.
Memory Aid
Associate the spelling "word" with the sound /wɜːrd/: think of the "w" starting the sound, and the "ord" sounding like "world" minus the "l" to remember the spelling and pronunciation.
Collocations
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Words
Chinese
Login Sign in to save to vocabulary