wallow

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈwɑːloʊ/ UK /ˈwɒ.ləʊ/ See IPA manual

Freq #22707

Meanings

1

verb
To let yourself enjoy or sink into a feeling, often a sad or self-pitying one.

Instead of wallowing in self-pity, she decided to make a fresh start.
2

verb
To roll about in mud or water, the way some animals do.

The pigs wallowed happily in the cool mud.
3

noun
A muddy pool where animals roll about.

The buffalo gathered at the wallow to escape the heat.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with wallow

wallow in Prepositional verb C2

to spend too long absorbed in a feeling or state

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to let yourself enjoy or... bask indulge luxuriate revel

2 verb · to roll about in mud or... welter

Word family

Forms wallowedwallowingwallows

Derived forms hog-wallowing

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

wallow in
to spend too long absorbed in a feeling or state

Verb + preposition/particle

Etymology

From Middle English walowen, walewen, walwen, welwen, from Old English wealwian (“to roll”), from Proto-West Germanic *walwōn, variant of *walwijan, from Proto-Germanic *walwijaną (“to roll”), from Proto-Indo-European *welw-, from Proto-Indo-European *welH- (“to turn, wind, roll”). Cognate with Latin volvō (“roll, tumble”, verb).

*welH- Proto-Indo-European walowen Middle English wealwian Old English *walwōn Proto-West Germanic *walwijaną Proto-Germanic *welw- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# wallow

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈwɑːloʊ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈwɒ.ləʊ/
**Frequency rank:** 22707

## Meanings
1. To let yourself enjoy or sink into a feeling, often a sad or self-pitying one.
2. To roll about in mud or water, the way some animals do.
3. A muddy pool where animals roll about.

## Examples
- Instead of wallowing in self-pity, she decided to make a fresh start.
- The pigs wallowed happily in the cool mud.
- The buffalo gathered at the wallow to escape the heat.

## Derived Forms
- hog-wallowing

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *welH-
- Root: walowen
- Root: wealwian
- Root: *walwōn
- Root: *walwijaną
- Root: *welw-

## Etymology
From Middle English walowen, walewen, walwen, welwen, from Old English wealwian (“to roll”), from Proto-West Germanic *walwōn, variant of *walwijan, from Proto-Germanic *walwijaną (“to roll”), from Proto-Indo-European *welw-, from Proto-Indo-European *welH- (“to turn, wind, roll”). Cognate with Latin volvō (“roll, tumble”, verb).

## AI Etymology
Wallow is from Middle English walowen, walewen, walwen, welwen, from Old English wealwian (“to roll”), from Proto-West Germanic *walwōn, variant of *walwijan, from Proto-Germanic *walwijaną (“to roll”), from Proto-Indo-European *welw-, from Proto-Indo-European *welH- (“to turn, wind, roll”). Cognate with Latin volvō (“roll, tumble”, verb). Important recorded forms include *welH- (Proto-Indo-European), walowen (Middle English), wealwian (Old English), *walwōn (Proto-West Germanic), *walwijaną (Proto-Germanic), and *welw- (Proto-Indo-European). Current senses include to let yourself enjoy or sink into a feeling, often a sad or self-pitying one and to roll about in mud or water, the way some animals do. The wider family includes derived forms such as hog-wallowing.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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