word
/wɜːrd/ (US: /wɜːrd/, UK: /wɜːd/)
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.
Collocations
key wordmagic wordword of mouthword choice
Synonyms
termvocablepromiseassurance
Antonyms
silencequiet
Related Words
vocabularyphrasesentencelexicon
Chinese
单词话语诺言消息