word

CEFRA1

/wɜːd/

noun · verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A single unit of language with meaning, spoken or written.

  2. 02

    verb

    To choose and arrange words to express something.

Examples

  • It's a word I'd like to find a substitute for.

  • The word ‘planet’ literally means ‘wandering body’.

At a glance

Sits at A1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /weːd/
  • /wʌrd/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. The smallest unit of language that has a particular meaning and can be expressed by itself; the smallest discrete, meaningful unit of language. (contrast morpheme.)

  2. The smallest discrete unit of spoken language with a particular meaning, composed of one or more phonemes and one or more morphemes

  3. The smallest discrete unit of written language with a particular meaning, composed of one or more letters or symbols and one or more morphemes

More examples

In context

  • I give you my word.

  • Have you had any word from John yet?

  • I can't believe you want me back. You've got Jen to thank for that. Her words the other day moved me deeply. Very deeply indeed. Really? What did she say. Like I remember! Point is it's the effect of her words that's important.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

He could not find the right blank to express his deep gratitude for her help.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From Middle English word, from Old English word, from Proto-West Germanic *word, from Proto-Germanic *wurdą (“word”), from Proto-Indo-European *werdʰom (“word”), from *werh₁- (“to say, speak”). Doublet of verb, verve, and vort; further related to vrata. Cognates Cognate with Scots wird (“word”), North Frisian uurd, Uurt, wurd, wårde, wür (“word”), Saterland Frisian Woud, Wud (“word”), West Frisian wurd (“word”), Alemannic German wort, wourd, wuart, wòrt, wört (“word”), Bavarian boart, bort, bört, Wurt (“word”), Cimbrian bóart, bort (“word”), Dutch woord (“word”), German Wort (“word”), German Low German Woord, Woort (“word”), Limburgish waord, Woërt (“word”), Luxembourgish Wuert (“word”), Mò...