schwa

noun

ˈshwä 

1

: an unstressed mid-central vowel (such as the usual sound of the first and last vowels of the English word America)

2

: the symbol ə used for the schwa sound and less widely for a similarly articulated stressed vowel (as in cut)

Word History

Etymology

German, from Hebrew schĕwā'

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Video

The Schwa

The most common vowel sound in English causes many spelling problems.

Kids Definition

schwa

noun

ˈshwä 

1

: a vowel that is not stressed and is the usual sound of the first and last vowels of the English word America

2

: the symbol ə commonly used for a schwa and sometimes also for a similarly pronounced stressed vowel (as in cut)