wahoo

1 of 4

noun (1)

wa·​hoo ˈwä-ˌhü How to pronounce wahoo (audio)
ˈwȯ-
plural wahoos

wahoo

2 of 4

noun (2)

plural wahoos
: a shrubby spindle tree (Euonymus atropurpureus) of chiefly eastern North America that has purple capsules which in dehiscence expose scarlet-ariled seeds

called also burning bush

wahoo

3 of 4

noun (3)

plural wahoos
: a large vigorous mackerel (Acanthocybium solandri) that is common in warm seas and esteemed as a food and sport fish

wahoo

4 of 4

interjection

wa·​hoo ˈwä-ˈhü How to pronounce wahoo (audio)
chiefly Western US
used to express exuberance or enthusiasm or to attract attention

Examples of wahoo in a Sentence

Interjection the rodeo rider shrieked, “Wahoo!” as he collected his prize money
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
No matter, something’s wrong in Harford County politics and the wahoos involved need to take notice. Patrick Wallis, Baltimore Sun, 24 May 2024 Local angler Tyler Arrington fished offshore of Haulover Inlet in 125 feet of water and caught gaffer-size dolphins, kingfish, lots of bonitos, sailfish and lost a nice wahoo at boat side. Alan Sherman, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 The team brought to the Sands Harbor Marina & Resort weigh-in station a 51-pound wahoo to take the biggest fish honors. Emmett Hall, Sun Sentinel, 9 Nov. 2022 Other notable performances were by Joe Caracione of Wire Bender who reeled in a 46.6-pound wahoo. Emmett Hall, sun-sentinel.com, 27 Aug. 2020 The mascot’s origin comes from a local fish species called a wahoo, a highly valuable game fish. USA Today, 24 June 2021

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

Noun (2)

Dakota wãhu, from wã- arrow + hu wood

Noun (3)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1770, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1857, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

circa 1900, in the meaning defined above

Interjection

1904, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wahoo was in 1770

Dictionary Entries Near wahoo

Cite this Entry

“Wahoo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wahoo. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

wahoo

noun
wa·​hoo ˈwä-ˌhü How to pronounce wahoo (audio)
plural wahoos
: a shrubby North American tree of the genus Euonymus (E. atropurpureus) having a root bark with cathartic properties compare euonymus sense 2

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