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”), Mòcheno bourt (“word”), Vilamovian wiüt, wuyt (“word”), Yiddish וואָרט (vort, “word”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish ord (“word”), Elfdalian uord (“word”), Faroese, Icelandic, and Scanian orð (“word”), Gutnish ård (“word”), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌳 (waurd, “word”); also Ancient Greek ῥητός (rhētós, “spoken, stipulated”); also Latin verbum (“word”), Umbrian 𐌖𐌄𐌓𐌚𐌀𐌋𐌄 (uerfale, “temple”), Ancient Greek εἴρω (eírō, “to say, speak, tell”), Latgalian vuords (“name; word”), Latvian vārds (“name; word”), Lithuanian var̃das (“name”), Russian врать (vratʹ, “to lie”), Serbo-Croatian ва̏рати, vȁrati (“to cheat, deceive, trick, swindle; to be mistaken”), Armenian հորջորջել (horǰorǰel, “to call, name”), Ashkun vīri (“word”), Kamkata-viri vëri, viri (“word”), Prasuni veri, verī, vëre, vëri (“word”), Sanskrit व्रत (vrata, “command; law; will”).
Meanings
(qualifier:African-American Vernacular, slang) Truth, indeed, that is the truth! The shortened form of the statement “My word is my bond.”
"Yo, that movie was epic!" / "Word?" ("You speak the truth?") / "Word." ("I speak the truth.")
(emphatic, qualifier:African-American Vernacular, slang) An abbreviated form of word up; a statement of the acknowledgment of fact with a hint of nonchalant approval.
"[…] I mean, I don't blame you... Word! […]" 2007, Relentless Aaron, The Last Kingpin, page 34:
"[…] Not bad at all, man. Worth da wait, dawg. Word." / "You liked it?" I asked dumbly, stoned still, and feeling victorious. / "Yeah, man," said Oral B. "Word up. […]" 2007, Gabe Rotter, Duck Duck Wally: A Novel, page 105:
"[…] Know what I'm sayin'?" / "Word!" the other man strongly agreed. "Let's do this — " 2004, Shannon Holmes, Never Go Home Again: A Novel, page 218:
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”), Mòcheno bourt (“word”), Vilamovian wiüt, wuyt (“word”), Yiddish וואָרט (vort, “word”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish ord (“word”), Elfdalian uord (“word”), Faroese, Icelandic, and Scanian orð (“word”), Gutnish ård (“word”), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌳 (waurd, “word”); also Ancient Greek ῥητός (rhētós, “spoken, stipulated”); also Latin verbum (“word”), Umbrian 𐌖𐌄𐌓𐌚𐌀𐌋𐌄 (uerfale, “temple”), Ancient Greek εἴρω (eírō, “to say, speak, tell”), Latgalian vuords (“name; word”), Latvian vārds (“name; word”), Lithuanian var̃das (“name”), Russian врать (vratʹ, “to lie”), Serbo-Croatian ва̏рати, vȁrati (“to cheat, deceive, trick, swindle; to be mistaken”), Armenian հորջորջել (horǰorǰel, “to call, name”), Ashkun vīri (“word”), Kamkata-viri vëri, viri (“word”), Prasuni veri, verī, vëre, vëri (“word”), Sanskrit व्रत (vrata, “command; law; will”).
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) 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.)
But every word, whether written or spoken, which urges the woman to antagonism against the man, every word which is written or spoken to try and make of her a hybrid, self-contained opponent of men, makes a rift in the lute to which the world looks for its sweetest music. 1897, Ouida, “The New Woman”, in An Altruist and Four Essays, page 239:
The word, whether written or spoken, does not look like or sound like its meaning — it does not resemble its signified. We only connect the two because we have learnt the code — language. Without such knowledge, 'Maggie' would just be a meaningless pattern of shapes or sounds. 1986, David Barrat, Media Sociology, →ISBN, page 112:
Swearing doesn't just mean what we now understand by "dirty words". It is entwined, in social and linguistic history, with the other sort of swearing: vows and oaths. Consider for a moment the origins of almost any word we have for bad language – "profanity", "curses", "oaths" and "swearing" itself. 2013 June 14, Sam Leith, “Where the profound meets the profane”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 1, page 37:
Brian and Abby signed the word clothing, in which the thumbs brush down the chest as though something is hanging there. They both spoke the word clothing. Brian then signed the word for change, […] 2009, Jack Fitzgerald, Viva La Evolucin, →ISBN, page 233:
(countable, uncountable) 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.) ▸ The smallest discrete unit of spoken language with a particular meaning, composed of one or more phonemes and one or more morphemes.
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. 2006 Feb. 17, Graham Linehan, The IT Crowd, Season 1, Episode 4
Then all was silent save the voice of the high priest, whose words grew louder and louder, […] 1894, Alex. R. Mackwen, “The Samaritan Passover”, in Littell's Living Age, volume 1, number 6:
Mr. Cooke at once began a tirade against the residents of Asquith for permitting a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda. 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
(countable, uncountable) 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.) ▸ The smallest discrete unit of written language with a particular meaning, composed of one or more letters or symbols and one or more morphemes.
Well-meaning academics even introduced spelling absurdities such as the “s” in the word “island,” a misguided Renaissance attempt to restore the etymology of the [unrelated] Latin word insula. 2009, Stanislas Dehaene, Reading in the Brain: The New Science of How We Read, →ISBN:
Polonius: What do you read, my lord?
Hamlet: Words, words, words. c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
The name was a confused gift of love from her father, who could not read the word but picked it out of the Bible for its visual shape, […] 2003, Jan Furman, Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon: A Casebook, →ISBN, page 194:
(countable, uncountable) 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.) ▸ A discrete, meaningful unit of language approved by an authority or native speaker (compare non-word).
“Ain’t! How often am I to tell you ain’t ain’t a word?” 1896, Israel Zangwill, Without Prejudice, page 21:
Fisherwoman isn’t even a word. It’s not in the dictionary. 1999, Linda Greenlaw, The Hungry Ocean, Hyperion, page 11:
(countable, uncountable) 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.) ▸ A sign used in a sign language.
(countable, uncountable) Something like such a unit of language: ▸ A sequence of letters, characters, or sounds, considered as a discrete entity, though it does not necessarily belong to a language or have a meaning.
All 15.5 million ‘words’ (or so–the exact length depends on the repeat sequences, which vary greatly) in the twenty-second chapter of the human autobiography have been read and written down in English letters: 47 million As, Cs, Gs and Ts. 1999, Matt Ridley, Genome, Harper Collins, →ISBN, page 301:
If M. V. has sustained impairment to a phonological output process common to reading and repetition, we might anticipate that her mispronunciations will partially reflect the underlying phonemic form of the nonsense word. 2013, The Cognitive Neuropsychology of Language, →ISBN, page 91:
In still another variation, the nonsense word is presented and the teacher asks, "What sound was in the beginning of the word?" "In the middle?" and so on. The child should always respond with the phoneme; he should not use letter labels. 1974, Thinking Goes to School: Piaget's Theory in Practice, →ISBN, page 183:
Here the scribe has dropped the με from καθημενος, thereby creating the nonsense word καθηνος. 2006, Scribal Habits and Theological Influences in the Apocalypse, →ISBN, page 141:
I wrote a nonsense word, "umbalooie," in the Input Panel's Writing Pad. Input Panel converted it to "cembalos" and displayed it in the Text Preview pane. 2003, How To Do Everything with Your Tablet PC, →ISBN, page 278:
(countable, uncountable) Something like such a unit of language: ▸ A unit of text equivalent to five characters and one space.
(countable, uncountable) Something like such a unit of language: ▸ A fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit by a machine and which can be stored in or retrieved from a typical register (so that it has the same size as such a register).
The size of a register in the MIPS architecture is 32 bits; groups of 32 bits occur so frequently that they are given the name word in the MIPS architecture. 1997, John L. Hennessy with David A. Patterson, Computer Organization and Design, 2nd edition, San Francisco, California: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Inc., §3.3, page 109:
(countable, uncountable) Something like such a unit of language: ▸ With regards to Intel or Intel-compatible hardware and/or in the context of Windows programming, a group of exactly 16 bits regardless of the actual processor capabilities; a fossilized unit referring to the small word size of historical CPUs.
(countable, uncountable) Something like such a unit of language: ▸ A finite string that is not a command or operator.
(countable, uncountable) Something like such a unit of language: ▸ A group element, expressed as a product of group elements.
(countable, uncountable) The fact or act of speaking, as opposed to taking action. .
[…] she believed them still so very much attached to each other, that they could not be too sedulously divided in word and deed on every occasion. 1811, Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility:
As they fell apart against Austria, England badly needed someone capable of leading by word and example. 2004 September 8, Richard Williams, The Guardian:
(countable, qualifier:now rare outside certain phrases, uncountable) Something that someone said; a comment, utterance; speech.
In what sense is God's Word living? No other word, whether written or spoken, has the power that the Bible has to change lives. 2011, John Lehew (senior), The Encouragement of Peter, →ISBN, page 108:
Despite appearances to the contrary [...] dragomans stuck rigidly to their brief, which was not to translate the Sultan's words, but his word. 2011, David Bellos, Is That a Fish in Your Ear?, Penguin, published 2012, page 126:
She said; but at the happy word "he lives", / My father stooped, re-fathered, o'er my wound. 1847, Alfred Tennyson, The Princess:
"The Kaiser laid down his arms at a quarter to twelve. In me, however, they have an opponent who ceases fighting only at five minutes past twelve," said Hitler some time ago. He has never spoken a truer word. 1945 April 1, Sebastian Haffner, The Observer:
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 26:75:
There is only one other point on which I offer a word of remark. 1853, Charles Dickens, Bleak House:
(countable, qualifier:obsolete outside certain phrases, uncountable) A watchword or rallying cry, a verbal signal (even when consisting of multiple words).
I have the word : sentinel, do thou stand; […] c. 1623, John Fletcher, William Rowley, The Maid in the Mill, published in the first Beaumont and Fletcher folio), published 1647, scene 3:
Our ancient word of courage, fair Saint George, inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons! 1592, William Shakespeare, Richard III:
mum's the word
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) A proverb or motto.
Among all other was wrytten in her trone / In golde letters, this worde, whiche I dyde rede: / Garder le fortune que est mauelz et bone. 1499, John Skelton, The Bowge of Court:
The old word is, 'What the eye views not, the heart rues not.' 1646, Joseph Hall, The Balm of Gilead:
Let the word be 'Not without mustard'. Your crest is very rare, sir. 1599, Ben Jonson, Every Man out of His Humour:
(uncountable) News; tidings.
Have you had any word from John yet?
[…] Arise and take the young childe, and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and bee thou there vntill I bring thee word: for Herode will seeke the young childe, to destroy him. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 2:13:
Word had gone round during the day that old Major, the prize Middle White boar, had had a strange dream on the previous night and wished to communicate it to the other animals. 1943 November – 1944 February (date written; published 1945 August 17), George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], Animal Farm […], London: Secker & Warburg, published May 1962, →OCLC:
I've tried for weeks to get word, but I still don't know where she is or if she's all right.
(countable, uncountable) An order; a request or instruction; an expression of will.
Don't fire till I give the word.
He sent word that we should strike camp before winter.
Their mother's word was law.
(countable, uncountable) A promise; an oath or guarantee.
I give you my word that I will be there on time.
(countable, uncountable) A brief discussion or conversation.
I managed to murmur some words of consolation as I left the funeral.
Can I have a word with you?
(countable, uncountable) A minor reprimand.
I had a word with him about it.
(countable, in-plural, uncountable) See words.
After seeing me pull up, he decided to come out to start words with me about what I said about him.
There had been words between him and the secretary about the outcome of the meeting.
(countable, qualifier:sometimes Word, uncountable) Communication from God; the message of the Christian gospel; the Bible, Scripture.
Her parents had lived in Botswana, spreading the word among the tribespeople.
(countable, qualifier:sometimes Word, uncountable) Logos, Christ.
And that worde was made flesshe, and dwelt amonge vs, and we sawe the glory off yt, as the glory off the only begotten sonne off the father, which worde was full of grace, and verite. 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, John:
And so the Word had breath, and wrought
With human hands the creed of creeds
In loveliness of perfect deeds,
More strong than all poetic thought; […] 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXXVI”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 56:
orv слово (unit of language) · mww lo lus (unit of language) · ca paraula (the word of God) · ms janji (promise) · lld parola (unit of language) · af woord (unit of language) · zyp bie (unit of language) · mhn bourt (unit of language) · he מִלָּה (unit of language) · gag söz (unit of language) · cja بۉه ڤنوۉئ (unit of language) · fa لُغَت (unit of language) · lad byerveziko (brief discussion) · sid qaale (unit of language) · ban kruna (unit of language) · fi sana (the word of God) · el λέξη (telegraphy: unit of text) · ckb وشە (unit of language) · lad פﭏאבﬞרה (unit of language) · bni liloba (unit of language) · iso ẹmị (unit of language) · gl pravoa (unit of language) · ja 誓い (promise) · so eray (unit of language) · ta சொல் (unit of language) · ps لغت (unit of language) · ti ቃል (unit of language) · ml വാക്ക് (unit of language) · fi sana (computer science: finite string which is not a command or operator) · nl erewoord (promise) · ady гущыӏ (unit of language) · de Wort (something which has been said) · sl beseda (promise) · pl słowo (unit of language) · fa واژِه (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · got 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌳 (unit of language) · ms perkataan (something which has been said) · ru сло́во (order, request, expression of will — see also order, request) · sw neno (unit of language) · es vocablo (unit of language) · sjd соа̄гк (unit of language) · it word (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · grc ῥῆμα (unit of language) · br ger (promise) · sco wurd (unit of language) · vo vöd (unit of language) · szl suowo (unit of language) · vi từ (unit of language) · am ቃል (unit of language) · pl Słowo Boże (the word of God) · pms vos (unit of language) · kmr qıse (unit of language) · tfn qena (unit of language) · sga bríathar (the word of God) · nl woord (promise) · bg ду́ма (unit of language) · an parola (unit of language) · fi Sana (Christ) · sah тыл (unit of language) · ru но́вость (news, tidings) · ms berita (news, tidings) · ru сло́во бо́жье (the word of God) · nn ord (unit of language) · se sátni (unit of language) · quc tzij (unit of language) · ky сөз (unit of language) · zh 單字 /单字 (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · ca mot (unit of language) · sv ord (promise) · hit 𒈨𒈪𒅀𒀸 (unit of language) · es palabra (promise) · pox slüvǘ (unit of language) · os ныхас (unit of language) · te వాణి (the word of God) · my နှုတ်ကပတ်တော်သည် (Christ) · ur لَفْظ (unit of language) · udm кыл (unit of language) · ab ажәа (unit of language) · pam kataya (unit of language) · ru речь (something which has been said) · ksw တၢ်ကတိၤ (unit of language) · fr mot (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · sv ord (unit of language) · fo orð (unit of language) · pam amanu (unit of language) · ko 말씀 (the word of God) · ms perbincangan (brief discussion) · rm pled (unit of language) · frr wurd (unit of language) · dsb słowo (unit of language) · kk сөз (unit of language) · ln liloba (unit of language) · zh цы (unit of language) · dv ލަފުޒު (unit of language) · ale tunux̂ (unit of language) · nb ord (the word of God) · cu ⱄⰾⱁⰲⱁ (unit of language) · fa وَاژَه (unit of language) · te మాట (unit of language) · tet liafuan (unit of language) · vec paròla (unit of language) · mr शब्द (unit of language) · bg обеща́ние (promise) · ta வாக்கு (promise) · pt verbo (the word of God) · gld хэсэ (unit of language) · km ពាក្យ (unit of language) · fi sana (something which has been said) · la vocābulum (unit of language) · kgp vĩ (unit of language) · om jecha (unit of language) · zu isithembiso (promise) · sms sääˊnn (unit of language) · fa کَلِمِه (unit of language) · os дзырд (unit of language) · br gerioù (unit of language) · ru слова́ (something which has been said) · zh 單詞 /单词 (unit of language) · kn ಪದ (unit of language) · mi pūrongo (news, tidings) · ln zambi (unit of language) · it verbo (the word of God) · id firman (the word of God) · ru приказа́ние (order, request, expression of will — see also order, request) · sma baakoe (unit of language) · abs kata (unit of language) · it vocabolo (unit of language) · ur بات (unit of language) · ln liloba (the word of God) · ia verbo (the word of God) · av рагӏи (unit of language) · cs slib (promise) · mba polong (unit of language) · yo ọ̀rọ̀ (unit of language) · izh sana (unit of language) · fi sana (unit of language) · uz soʻz (unit of language) · sjd са̄ннҍ (unit of language) · xh igama (unit of language) · ko 말 (promise) · lzz ნენა (unit of language) · ilo sao (unit of language) · af erewoord (promise) · tr kelime (unit of language) · grc λόγος (unit of language) · jv tembung (unit of language) · mrh bie (unit of language) · el λόγος (the word of God) · sa शब्द (unit of language) · nb ord (promise) · eu hitz (unit of language) · lv vārds (unit of language) · sga focul (unit of language) · ms firman (the word of God) · bn শব্দ (unit of language) · pt vocábulo (unit of language) · ml വാക്ക് (promise) · ms perkataan (unit of language) · fr verbe (Christ) · sco wird (unit of language) · khb ᦅᧄ (unit of language) · tl salita (unit of language) · pms mòt (unit of language) · frr uurd (unit of language) · wa mot (unit of language) · gd facal (unit of language) · pt palavra (the word of God) · fr parole (something which has been said) · my ပုဒ် (unit of language) · ms khabar (news, tidings) · ast pallabra (unit of language) · esu qanruyun (unit of language) · gl palabra (unit of language) · fi sana (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · grc ὄψ (unit of language) · ja 単語 (unit of language) · evn турэн (unit of language) · sl beseda (unit of language) · wmw semo (unit of language) · bua үгэ (unit of language) · wyi ngol (unit of language) · lad biervo (unit of language) · txb reki (unit of language) · th คำ (unit of language) · ia vocabulo (unit of language) · kl oqaaseq (unit of language) · shu كلمة (unit of language) · te దేవుడు (Christ) · ota سوز (unit of language) · gd briathar (unit of language) · ba һүҙ (unit of language) · nb ord (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · cs slovo boží (the word of God) · ny mawu (unit of language) · ca paraula (promise) · mi matapakinga (brief discussion) · ar كَلِمَة (something which has been said) · id kata (unit of language) · enm word (something which has been said) · na dorer (unit of language) · hy խոստում (promise) · nds Woord (unit of language) · ps کلمه (unit of language) · zza kelime (diq) (unit of language) · xmf ზიტყვა (unit of language) · ms kata (unit of language) · hi लुग़त (unit of language) · egy md-d-w-A2 (unit of language) · duu ka (unit of language) · de Ehrenwort (promise) · krc сёз (unit of language) · mg teny (unit of language) · pl wyraz (unit of language) · bcl kataga (unit of language) · sk slovo božie (the word of God) · nb krangel (angry debate; argument) · ru изве́стие (news, tidings) · es palabra (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · mi kupu (telegraphy: unit of text) · mdf вал (unit of language) · az söz (unit of language) · ru разгово́р (brief discussion) · akk 𒀀𒉿𒌈 (unit of language) · fi riita (angry debate; argument) · hy խոսք (promise) · lt žodis (promise) · fa لُغَت (unit of language) · yai гап (unit of language) · ibg kagi (unit of language) · sa अक्षरा (unit of language) · lt žodis (unit of language) · it parola (unit of language) · rm plaid (unit of language) · sh slȍvo (unit of language) · inh дош (unit of language) · af woord (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · ang word (unit of language) · ja 言語 (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · zza qıse (diq) (something which has been said) · myv вал (unit of language) · gl palabra (promise) · fi sana (promise) · scn parola (unit of language) · tt сүз (unit of language) · tg вожа (unit of language) · be сло́ва (unit of language) · jje 말 (unit of language) · av рагӏул (unit of language) · fi sanailu (angry debate; argument) · ko 마디 (unit of language) · ur لُغَت (unit of language) · ms kalimah (unit of language) · tr laf (unit of language) · ht mo (unit of language) · ru перебра́нка (angry debate; argument) · ru сло́во (promise) · it parola (the word of God) · tg калима (unit of language) · cu слово (unit of language) · ja 語 (unit of language) · ms sabda (the word of God) · et sõna (unit of language) · pdt Wuat (nds) (unit of language) · vi nhời (unit of language) · sl častna beseda (promise) · ar كَلَام (something which has been said) · hsb słowo (unit of language) · mt kelma (unit of language) · hy բառ (unit of language) · ce дош (unit of language) · to lea (unit of language) · enm word (news, tidings) · ha kalma (unit of language) · el λόγος (promise) · pms paròla (unit of language) · sgs žuodis (unit of language) · ml പദം (unit of language) · zza qısa (unit of language) · hu szó (promise) · nci tlahtōlli (unit of language) · mk збор (promise) · bo ཚིག (unit of language) · sat ᱨᱳᱲ (unit of language) · ia parola (the word of God) · gur tɔɣʋm class 14 (unit of language) · gag laf (unit of language) · sk slovo (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · zu uhlamvu class 11/10 (unit of language) · arc מלתא (unit of language) · km ពាក្យសំដី (unit of language) · hu szó (unit of language) · vi tiếng (unit of language) · fi sanat (fact or act of speaking, as opposed to taking action) · mk збор (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · eve төрэн (unit of language) · si වචනය (unit of language) · ota لغت (unit of language) · ia parola (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · arc ܡܠܬܐ (unit of language) · jv ꦠꦼꦩ꧀ꦧꦸꦁ (unit of language) · fr Verbe (Christ) · lij paròlla (unit of language) · sd لَفظُ (unit of language) · fy wurd (unit of language) · frr Uurt (unit of language) · ko 약속 (promise) · zh 詞 /词 (unit of language) · te చర్చ (brief discussion) · yi וואָרט (unit of language) · tyv сөс (unit of language) · pt palavra (promise) · ar قَوْل (something which has been said) · ta வார்த்தை (unit of language) · hi बोल (unit of language) · fa کَلِمَه (unit of language) · ms kabar (news, tidings) · rcf mo (unit of language) · lad palavra (unit of language) · oj ikidowin (unit of language) · ja 言葉 (unit of language) · pt palavra (unit of language) · bg за́повед (order, request, expression of will — see also order, request) · sa पद (unit of language) · swb urongozi (something which has been said) · nl woordenwisseling (angry debate; argument) · fi pari sanaa (brief discussion) · haw huaʻōlelo (unit of language) · az واژه (unit of language) · pt palavra do Senhor (the word of God) · tyz cằm (unit of language) · fi sana (news, tidings) · hi शब्द (unit of language) · sk božie slovo (the word of God) · nci tēntli (unit of language) · el λόγος (unit of language) · rup zbor (unit of language) · fi sana (telegraphy: unit of text) · pt notícias (news, tidings) · oc vèrb (Christ) · oc vèrbe (Christ) · zza qıse (diq) (unit of language) · ne शब्द (unit of language) · ia parola (unit of language) · sux 𒅗 (unit of language) · bg кома́нда (order, request, expression of will — see also order, request) · zh 詞語 /词语 (unit of language) · mk збор (unit of language) · cic anompa (unit of language) · pa ਸ਼ਬਦ (unit of language) · rap vānaŋa (unit of language) · tr sözcük (unit of language) · pi pada (unit of language) · bg реч (something which has been said) · nb ord (unit of language) · ja ワード (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · io vorto (unit of language) · ln nkómbó (unit of language) · amu jñ'o (unit of language) · st lentswe (unit of language) · ug سۆز (unit of language) · ar كَلِمَةُ اللهِ (the word of God) · itk דִיטוֹ (something which has been said) · ja 福音 (the word of God) · ko 단어 (unit of language) · ro cuvânt de onoare (promise) · nl woord (unit of language) · xal үг (unit of language) · sh ре̑ч (unit of language) · grc λέξις (unit of language) · ru весть (news, tidings) · ru сло́во (group theory: kind of group element) · sh rijȇč (unit of language) · scn palora (unit of language) · ru сло́во (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · ccc nachale (unit of language) · sc fueddu (unit of language) · uga 𐎅𐎆𐎚 (unit of language) · ro vorbă (unit of language) · chr ᎧᏁᏨ (unit of language) · kbd псалъэ (unit of language) · es palabra (unit of language) · enm word (promise) · hy բան (the word of God) · ceb pulong (unit of language) · fa گُفْتار (the word of God) · tg калом (Christ) · tg луғат (unit of language) · zh 道 (Christ) · gcr mo (unit of language) · cs slovo (unit of language) · srn wortu (unit of language) · pl słowo (promise) · te పదము (unit of language) · or ଶବ୍ଦ (unit of language) · te వార్త (news, tidings) · fi kiista (angry debate; argument) · bg сло́во (unit of language) · eu berba (unit of language) · el λέξη (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · bn লফজ (unit of language) · is orð (unit of language) · bg ду́ма (promise) · sh рије̑ч (unit of language) · su ᮊᮨᮎᮕ᮪ (unit of language) · cy gair (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · bg изве́стие (news, tidings) · ru кома́нда (order, request, expression of will — see also order, request) · hit 𒌓𒋻 (unit of language) · ta சொல் (promise) · fi sana (order, request, expression of will — see also order, request) · unm laptunakàn (unit of language) · enm word (unit of language) · ro cuvânt (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · rif awar (unit of language) · mn ᠦᠭᠡ (unit of language) · aht hnae (unit of language) · fr mot (unit of language) · es voz (unit of language) · enm word (Christ) · ar كَلِمَة (unit of language) · lmo paròlla (unit of language) · te సంకేత పదము (telegraphy: unit of text) · ko 복음 (the word of God) · dz ཚིག (unit of language) · fa واژِه (unit of language) · ht pawòl (promise) · da ord (unit of language) · pt palavra de Deus (the word of God) · ru обеща́ние (promise) · lg ekigambo (unit of language) · ja 約束 (promise) · non orð (unit of language) · pam salita (unit of language) · ro cuvânt (unit of language) · de Wort (unit of language) · kn ಶಬ್ದ (unit of language) · kim соот (unit of language) · ur کَلِمَہ (unit of language) · el λέξη (unit of language) · pt palavra divina (the word of God) · sq fjalë (unit of language) · war pulong (unit of language) · gl parola (unit of language) · sm ’upu (unit of language) · tum lizgo (unit of language) · ru прика́з (order, request, expression of will — see also order, request) · rsk слово (unit of language) · my ပဒ (unit of language) · ykg аруу (unit of language) · frr Wür (unit of language) · xmf სიტყვა (unit of language) · fr parole (the word of God) · my စကားလုံး (unit of language) · hu ige (Christ) · bg спор (angry debate; argument) · tn lefoko (unit of language) · nv saad (unit of language) · ar كلمة (unit of language) · oc paraula (unit of language) · csb słowò (unit of language) · trk-oat سوز (unit of language) · mhr мут (unit of language) · cy gair (unit of language) · mn үг (unit of language) · lb Wuert (the word of God) · or ବାକ୍ୟ (Christ) · he דבר (unit of language) · kmr bêje (unit of language) · ryu くとぅば (unit of language) · mi kupu (unit of language) · ru сло́во (telegraphy: unit of text) · wal qaalaa (unit of language) · sk čestné slovo (promise) · gu શબ્દ (unit of language) · it parola (promise) · oc mot (unit of language) · ka სიტყვა (unit of language) · ru сло́во (unit of language) · ur شَبْد (unit of language) · vec paroła (unit of language) · te మాట (promise) · lbe махъ (unit of language) · ko 말 (unit of language) · fi puhe (something which has been said) · yue 詞 /词 (unit of language) · pt palavra (computing: fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit) · uk сло́во (unit of language) · vec paròła (unit of language) · tmh tăfert (unit of language) · fa پِیْمان (promise) · ga briathar (the word of God) · ca paraula (unit of language) · nb lovnad (promise) · gaa wiemɔ (unit of language) · ia parolaa (promise) · sq llaf (unit of language) · sh rȇč (unit of language) · hi बात (unit of language) · bni zambi (unit of language) · kmr peyv (unit of language)
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”), Mòcheno bourt (“word”), Vilamovian wiüt, wuyt (“word”), Yiddish וואָרט (vort, “word”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish ord (“word”), Elfdalian uord (“word”), Faroese, Icelandic, and Scanian orð (“word”), Gutnish ård (“word”), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌳 (waurd, “word”); also Ancient Greek ῥητός (rhētós, “spoken, stipulated”); also Latin verbum (“word”), Umbrian 𐌖𐌄𐌓𐌚𐌀𐌋𐌄 (uerfale, “temple”), Ancient Greek εἴρω (eírō, “to say, speak, tell”), Latgalian vuords (“name; word”), Latvian vārds (“name; word”), Lithuanian var̃das (“name”), Russian врать (vratʹ, “to lie”), Serbo-Croatian ва̏рати, vȁrati (“to cheat, deceive, trick, swindle; to be mistaken”), Armenian հորջորջել (horǰorǰel, “to call, name”), Ashkun vīri (“word”), Kamkata-viri vëri, viri (“word”), Prasuni veri, verī, vëre, vëri (“word”), Sanskrit व्रत (vrata, “command; law; will”).
Meanings
(transitive) To say or write (something) using particular words; to phrase (something).
I’m not sure how to word this letter to the council.
strongly worded letter
(obsolete, transitive) To flatter with words, to cajole.
He words me, girls, he words me, that I should not / be noble to myself. 1607, William Shakespeare, Anthony and Cleopatra, act 5, scene 2:
(transitive) To ply or overpower with words.
[…] if a man were to be worded to death, or stoned to death by words, the High-Dutch were the fittest [language for that task]. 1829 April 14, “Webster's Dictionary”, in The North American Review, volume 28, page 438:
[…] if one were to be worded to death, Italian is the fittest Language [for that task] 1621 November 30, James Howell, letter to Francis Bacon, from Turin:
(rare, transitive) To conjure with a word.
The being of each person is worded into existence in the Word, […] 2013, Carla Mae Streeter, Foundations of Spirituality: The Human and the Holy, →ISBN, page 92:
Against him […] who could word heaven and earth out of nothing, and can when he pleases word them into nothing again. c. 1645-1715, Robert South, Sermon on Psalm XXXIX. 9:
"Postcolonialism" might well be another linguistic construct, desperately begging for a referent that will never show up, simply because it never existed on its own and was literally worded into existence by the very term that pretends to be born from it. 1994, “Liminal Postmodernisms”, in Postmodern Studies, volume 8, page 162:
(archaic, intransitive) To speak, to use words; to converse, to discourse.
Thus wording timidly among the fierce: / "O Father, I am here the simplest voice, […]" 1818–1819, John Keats, “Hyperion, a Fragment”, in Lamia, Isabella, the Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems, London: […] [Thomas Davison] for Taylor and Hessey, […], published 1820, →OCLC, page 181:
ru формули́ровать (to say or write using particular words) · nl onder woorden brengen (to say or write using particular words) · mk изразува (to say or write using particular words) · el συντάσσω (to say or write using particular words) · is orða (to say or write using particular words) · mk формулира (to say or write using particular words) · nl formuleren (to say or write using particular words) · he ניסח (to say or write using particular words) · ca redactar (to say or write using particular words) · fi pukea sanoiksi (to say or write using particular words) · nl verwoorden (to say or write using particular words) · fi puhua (to ply or overpower with words) · pt frasear (to say or write using particular words) · el διατυπώνω (to say or write using particular words) · zh 措辞 (to say or write using particular words) · hu megfogalmazn (to say or write using particular words) · fi muotoilla (to say or write using particular words) · es redactar (to say or write using particular words) · fr formuler (to say or write using particular words) · bg изразява (to say or write using particular words) · da formulere (to say or write using particular words) · fi loitsia (to conjure with a word) · sv formulera (to say or write using particular words) · fi virkkaa (to speak) · fi imarrella (to flatter with words)
Variant of worth (“to become, turn into, grow, get”), from Middle English worthen, from Old English weorþan (“to turn into, become, grow”), from Proto-West Germanic *werþan, from Proto-Germanic *werþaną (“to turn, turn into, become”). More at worth § Verb.
Meanings
(alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of worth (“to become”).