bow-wow
/'bau'wau/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- Informal term for a dog: "bow-wow" is a childlike or informal word used to refer to a dog.
- The sound a dog makes: "bow-wow" is an onomatopoeic word that imitates the sound of a dog's bark.
Usage Examples
- Noun (referring to a dog): (Referring to a small dog.)
- Noun (referring to the sound):
Advanced Usage
- Used in children's language or playful contexts: The term is often used by or when speaking to young children, or in a deliberately simple or affectionate manner.
- Can be used repetitively for effect: "Bow-wow-wow" can be used to represent a series of barks.
Variants and Related Words
- Woof: Another common onomatopoeic word for a dog's bark.
- Arf: A shorter, sharper onomatopoeic representation of a bark.
- Doggy / Doggie: A similar informal, child-friendly term for a dog.
Synonyms
- Dog (standard term)
- Puppy (specifically a young dog)
- Pooch (another informal synonym for dog)
- Bark (specifically for the sound)
Related Phrases
- "Bow-wow theory": A historical, discredited theory about the origin of human language, suggesting that words originated as imitations of natural sounds (like a dog's "bow-wow"). This is a specialized compound term.
Notes on Usage
- The word is primarily used in informal, spoken English, especially with children.
- When written to represent the sound, it is often placed in quotation marks (e.g., "bow-wow").
- It is rarely used in formal or academic writing, except when discussing the "bow-wow theory" of language origins or in quoted dialogue.
Noun
- informal terms for dogs
- the bark of a dog