woo

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /wuː/ See IPA manual

Homophones

whoo /wuː/

Freq #3270

Meanings

1

verb
To try to win someone's love or romantic interest.

He spent months wooing her with flowers and letters.
2

verb
To try to win someone's support, favour, or business.

The company is wooing customers back with a cheaper mobile plan.
3

intj
An exclamation expressing joy or excitement.

"I got you a new phone." "Woo, that's great!"

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to try to win someone's... court

2 verb · to try to win someone's... court

More address beaubedearendear romance solicit spark

Word family

Forms wooerwooerswooingwoos

Derived forms wooer

Related forms courtship date

Etymology

From Middle English wowen, woȝen, from Old English wōgian (“to woo, court, marry”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Scots wow (“to woo”). Perhaps related to Old English wōg, wōh (“bending, crookedness”), in the specific sense of "bend or incline (some)one toward oneself". If so, then derived from Proto-Germanic *wanhō (“a bend, angle”), from Proto-Indo-European *wonk- (“crooked, bent”), from Proto-Indo-European *wā- (“to bend, twist, turn”); related to Old Norse vá (“corner, angle”).

wowen Middle English wōgian Old English *wanhō Proto-Germanic *wonk- Proto-Indo-European *wā- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# woo

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb, intj
**IPA (US):** /wuː/
**Frequency rank:** 3270

## Meanings
1. To try to win someone's love or romantic interest.
2. To try to win someone's support, favour, or business.
3. An exclamation expressing joy or excitement.

## Examples
- He spent months wooing her with flowers and letters.
- The company is wooing customers back with a cheaper mobile plan.
- "I got you a new phone." "Woo, that's great!"

## Synonyms
- address
- beau
- bedear
- endear
- romance
- solicit
- spark

## Derived Forms
- wooer

## Related Forms
- courtship
- date

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: wowen
- Root: wōgian
- Root: *wanhō
- Root: *wonk-
- Root: *wā-

## Etymology
From Middle English wowen, woȝen, from Old English wōgian (“to woo, court, marry”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Scots wow (“to woo”). Perhaps related to Old English wōg, wōh (“bending, crookedness”), in the specific sense of "bend or incline (some)one toward oneself". If so, then derived from Proto-Germanic *wanhō (“a bend, angle”), from Proto-Indo-European *wonk- (“crooked, bent”), from Proto-Indo-European *wā- (“to bend, twist, turn”); related to Old Norse vá (“corner, angle”).

## AI Etymology
Woo is from Middle English wowen, woȝen, from Old English wōgian (“to woo, court, marry”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Scots wow (“to woo”). Perhaps related to Old English wōg, wōh (“bending, crookedness”), in the specific sense of "bend or incline (some)one toward oneself". If so, then derived from Proto-Germanic *wanhō (“a bend, angle”), from Proto-Indo-European *wonk- (“crooked, bent”), from Proto-Indo-European *wā- (“to bend, twist, turn”); related to Old Norse vá (“corner, angle”). In present-day use, it can mean to try to win someone's love or romantic interest, or to try to win someone's support, favour, or business. Related forms include courtship, date. Derived formations include wooer.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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woo