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Origin and history of whoa

whoa(interj.)

1620s, a cry to call attention from a distance, a variant of who. Obsolete in the original sense. As a command to stop a horse, it is attested from 1843, a variant of ho. As an expression of delight or surprise (1980s) it gradually superseded wow, which was popular 1960s.

Entries linking to whoa

exclamation of surprise, etc., c. 1300; as an exclamation calling attention or demanding silence, late 14c. Used after the name of a place to which attention is called (as in Westward-Ho) it dates from 1590s, originally a cry of boatmen, etc., announcing departures for a particular destination. Ho-ho-ho expressing laughter is recorded from mid-12c.

Old English hwa "what person," sometimes also "what; anyone, someone; each; whosoever," from Proto-Germanic *hwas (source also of Old Saxon hwe, Danish hvo, Swedish vem, Old Frisian hwa, Dutch wie, Old High German hwer, German wer, Gothic hvo (fem.) "who"), from PIE root *kwo-, stem of relative and interrogative pronouns.

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