aware

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /əˈwɛɚ/ UK /əˈwɛə(ɹ)/ See IPA manual

Freq #1626

Meanings

1

adj
Knowing that something exists or is happening.

Are you aware of what is being said about you?
2

adj
Paying attention and ready to deal with danger or problems.

Stay aware of your surroundings when walking at night.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · knowing that something... conscious cognizant informed mindful

2 adj · paying attention and ready... alert attentive observant watchful

More sharp up-to-date witting

Opposites

unaware

Word family

Derived forms awarelyawarenesshyperawarelocale-awarelocale-awarenessself-awareself-awarenesswell-awarewell-awareness

Related forms beware modern sane wary

Appears in

Phrases (3)

See all

Simplified etymology

Aware comes from Old English gewær, a word of West Germanic origin related to German gewahr. Its early senses included both “informed” and “vigilant” or “cautious.”

Etymology

From Middle English aware, iwar, iware, ywar, from Old English ġewær (“aware”), from Proto-West Germanic *gawar, from Proto-Germanic *waraz (“aware, cautious”), from Proto-Indo-European *worós (“attentive”), from *wer- (“to heed; watch out”). Cognate with Dutch gewaar, German gewahr, Danish var, Swedish var, Icelandic varr.

aware Middle English ġewær Old English *gawar Proto-West Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# aware

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /əˈwɛɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈwɛə(ɹ)/
**Frequency rank:** 1626

## Meanings
1. Knowing that something exists or is happening.
2. Paying attention and ready to deal with danger or problems.

## Examples
- Are you aware of what is being said about you?
- Stay aware of your surroundings when walking at night.

## Synonyms
- sharp
- up-to-date
- witting

## Antonyms
- unaware

## Derived Forms
- awarely
- awareness
- hyperaware
- locale-aware
- locale-awareness
- self-aware
- self-awareness
- well-aware
- well-awareness

## Related Forms
- beware
- modern
- sane
- wary

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: aware
- Root: ġewær
- Root: *gawar

## Etymology
From Middle English aware, iwar, iware, ywar, from Old English ġewær (“aware”), from Proto-West Germanic *gawar, from Proto-Germanic *waraz (“aware, cautious”), from Proto-Indo-European *worós (“attentive”), from *wer- (“to heed; watch out”). Cognate with Dutch gewaar, German gewahr, Danish var, Swedish var, Icelandic varr.

## AI Etymology
Aware comes from Middle English aware, iwar, iware, ywar, from Old English ġewær (“aware”), from Proto-West Germanic *gawar, from Proto-Germanic *waraz (“aware, cautious”), from Proto-Indo-European *worós (“attentive”), from *wer- (“to heed; watch out”). Cognate with Dutch gewaar, German gewahr, Danish var, Swedish var, Icelandic varr.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

markdown