wattage en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈwɒtəd͡ʒ/ weak vowel merger
- /ˈwɒtɪd͡ʒ/
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree English watt Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātus Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icus Latin -āticus Latin -āticum Old French -agebor. Middle English -age English -age English wattage From watt + -age.
Meanings
- (countable, uncountable) An amount or power (especially electric), expressed in watts, kilowatts etc.
- (countable, uncountable) The power requirement of some electric appliance.
-
(broadly, countable, informal, uncountable) A person's energy or abilities.
This clear-eyed look back at a highly confused time is captivating because [Robbie] Williams, all nods, winks and twitches, is a ferociously skilled entertainer. Closeup, his star wattage is blinding.
2025 October 10, Ian Gittins, “Robbie Williams review – tiny Camden gig offers blinding star wattage – and a surprising new song about Morrissey”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:[Prince] Andrew, unfortunately, exhibited classic symptoms of what is scientifically recognised as the Dunning-Kruger effect, the cognitive bias in which people come to believe that they are smarter and more capable than they really are. The combination of minimal self-awareness and dim wattage leads sufferers of this condition to overestimate their own capabilities.
2022, Tina Brown, The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor—the Truth and the Turmoil, Crown, →ISBN:Amid the surprise there is obvious, if unspoken, glee at the prospect of taking on one of three such politically low-wattage candidates, two of whom have no direct experience of frontline politics.
2023 June 18, Peter Walker, Pippa Crerar, “Furious London Tories fear low-wattage mayor shortlist looks like surrender”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| wattages | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Relateds
Translations (10)
es wataje (amount or power (especially electric), expressed in watts, kilowatts etc) · de Wattleistung (amount or power (especially electric), expressed in watts, kilowatts etc) · es vataje (amount or power (especially electric), expressed in watts, kilowatts etc) · tl batyahe (amount or power (especially electric), expressed in watts, kilowatts etc) · gd uàtachd (amount or power (especially electric), expressed in watts, kilowatts etc) · ru мо́щность (amount or power (especially electric), expressed in watts, kilowatts etc) · es wattage (amount or power (especially electric), expressed in watts, kilowatts etc) · ja ワット数 (amount or power (especially electric), expressed in watts, kilowatts etc) · ga vatacht (amount or power (especially electric), expressed in watts, kilowatts etc) · bg мощност (amount or power (especially electric), expressed in watts, kilowatts etc)