wah-wah

or wa-wa

[ wah-wah ]
/ ˈwɑˌwɑ /

adjective

producing a muted, bawling sound like that of a trumpet with the hand moved momentarily over the bell: a wah-wah effect on a synthesizer; a guitar with a wah-wah pedal.

noun

a sound or effect like the muted sound of a trumpet, especially in music.
an electronic device or attachment to produce such a sound, often used with an electric guitar.

Origin of wah-wah

First recorded in 1925–30; imitative

Words nearby wah-wah

wagonette, wagonload, wagram, wagtail, wagyu, wah-wah, wahhabi, wahhabism, wahiawa, wahine, wahoo

Definition for wawa (2 of 2)

wa-wa
[ wah-wah ]
/ ˈwɑˌwɑ /

noun

wah-wah.

Example sentences from the Web for wawa

  • By the way, the reports that he found a Wawa touch-screen menu “amazing” are misleading.

    Mitt Romney, Awesome Campaigner? |Howard Kurtz |June 19, 2012 |DAILY BEAST

  • (spoiled); and poor Wawa puckered up his little rosy mouth, and began to cry most piteously.

    Funny Little Socks |Sarah. L. Barrow

  • Next day he arrived before the walls of Wawa, in the neighbourhood of the far-famed river.

    Great African Travellers |W.H.G. Kingston

  • Then there must be a great “wawa,” or discussion by the Indians.

    The Columbia River |William Denison Lyman

British Dictionary definitions for wawa (1 of 3)

wawa 1
/ (ˈwɑːˌwɑː) Canadian West coast slang /

noun

speech; language

verb

(intr) to speak

Word Origin for wawa

C19: from Chinook Jargon; probably of imitative origin

British Dictionary definitions for wawa (2 of 3)

wawa 2
/ (ˈwɑːˌwɑː, ˈwɑːwə) /

noun

Canadian a variant of wavey

British Dictionary definitions for wawa (3 of 3)

wah-wah
/ (ˈwɑːˌwɑː) /

noun

the sound made by a trumpet, cornet, etc, when the bell is alternately covered and uncovered: much used in jazz
an electronic attachment for an electric guitar, etc, that simulates this effect

Word Origin for wah-wah

C20: of imitative origin