Wiktionary

wai

See also: WAI, Wai, wài, wāi, wǎi, and wa'i

English edit

 
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
 
Students performing wai.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /waɪ/, /weɪ/
  • Audio (Southern England)(file)
  • Audio (Southern England)(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪ, -eɪ

Etymology 1 edit

Borrowed from Thai ไหว้ (wâi, “a gesture of thanks”).

Noun edit

wai (plural wais)

  1. A Thai greeting wherein the palms are brought together in front of the face or chest, sometimes accompanied with a bow.
Translations edit

Etymology 2 edit

Phonetic respelling of why.

Adverb edit

wai (not comparable)

  1. (Internet slang) why (a purposeful misspelling)

Anagrams edit

'Are'are edit

 
wai

Etymology edit

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

wai

  1. fresh water (clear liquid H₂O)

Antonyms edit

  • āsi (“salt water”)

References edit

  • Blust's Austronesian Comparative Dictionary

Aka-Bea edit

Adverb edit

wai

  1. indeed

References edit

  • Edward Horace Man, A Dictionary of the South Andaman (Aka-Bea) language (1923)

Arosi edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

wai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • Arthur Capell, Arosi grammar (1971), page 59: [Possessives of the] first and second persons precede the noun, whereas all others follow it, e.g. gugua wai, my drinking water, but wai 'ana, his drinking water.
  • Sidney Herbert Ray, A Comparative Study of the Melanesian Island Languages (2014), page 481: wai "water"

Buli (Indonesia) edit

Numeral edit

wai

  1. eight

References edit

  • G. Maan, Proeve van een Bulische spraakkunst (1951)

Central Tagbanwa edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Philippine [Term?], from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

wai (Tagbanwa spelling ᝯᝡ)

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • Robert A. Scebold, Central Tagbanwa: A Philippine Language on the Brink of Extinction : Sociolinguistics, Grammar, and Lexicon (2003)

Duri edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. water

References edit

  • Language Documentation Training Center, Linguistic Society of Hawaii, Duri wordlist

Fijian edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Central Pacific *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

wai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

Gothic edit

Romanization edit

wai

  1. Romanization of 𐍅𐌰𐌹

Hadza edit

Pronunciation edit

Determiner edit

wai ?

  1. all (used with a possessive suffix)

Related terms edit

Hawaiian edit

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈwai̯/, [ˈʋɐj], [ˈʋɛj] (rapid speech)

Etymology 1 edit

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ (compare with Malay air).

Noun edit

wai

  1. water, especially of fresh sources
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit

Etymology 2 edit

Verb edit

wai

  1. Rare form of waiho (“to leave, deposit”).

References edit

  • William Churchill (1911) The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced
  • Pukui, Mary Kawena, Elbert, Samuel H. (1986) “wai”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press
  • Elbert, Samuel H., Pukui, Mary Kawena (1979) Hawaiian Grammar, Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press, →ISBN, page 67

Jamaican Creole edit

Etymology edit

Derived from English why.

Pronunciation edit

Adverb edit

wai

  1. why
    • 2012, Di Jamiekan Nyuu Testiment, Edinburgh: DJB, published 2012, →ISBN, Ruoman 11:33:
      […] Uu kyan se wai im mek op im main fi du di sitn dem we im du? […]
      […] You can see why he made up his mind to do the things he does?

Usage notes edit

  • For asking questions, ou kom is used instead.

Japanese edit

Romanization edit

wai

  1. Rōmaji transcription of わい
  2. Rōmaji transcription of ワイ

Kambera edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

wài

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • Marian Klamer, A Grammar of Kambera

Kapingamarangi edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

wai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

Laboya edit

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. chin

References edit

  • Allahverdi Verdizade (2019) “wai”, in Lamboya word list‎[1], Leiden: LexiRumah

Lamaholot edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • Kunio Nishyama, Herman Kelen, A Grammar of Lamaholot, Eastern Indonesia: The Morphology and Syntax of the Lewoingu Dialect (2007)
  • ABVD

Lau edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. water

See also edit

References edit

Malay edit

 
wai

Etymology edit

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ. Doublet of air.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

wai (Jawi spelling واي, plural wai-wai, informal 1st possessive waiku, 2nd possessive waimu, 3rd possessive wainya)

  1. river (large stream which drains a landmass)
    Synonyms: alir, alur, batang, bengawan, ci, kali, sungai

References edit

Mamasa edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. water

References edit

Mamuju edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. water

References edit

Mandarin edit

Romanization edit

wai (wai5／wai0, Zhuyin ˙ㄨㄞ)

  1. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 𠰻

wai

  1. Nonstandard spelling of wāi.
  2. Nonstandard spelling of wǎi.
  3. Nonstandard spelling of wài.

Usage notes edit

  • Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.

Maori edit

Etymology 1 edit

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ (compare with Malay air).

Noun edit

wai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)
  2. liquid
Derived terms edit

Etymology 2 edit

Compare Tahitian vai.

Pronoun edit

wai

  1. who?

References edit

  • Tregear, Edward (1891) Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary‎[2], Wellington, New Zealand: Lyon and Blair, page 589
  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
  • “wai” in John C. Moorfield, Te Aka: Maori–English, English–Maori Dictionary and Index, 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, 2011, →ISBN.

Masiwang edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. water

References edit

Middle English edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. Alternative spelling of way

Nauete edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. water

References edit

  • Aone van Engelenhoven, The position of Makuva among the Austronesian languages of Southwest Maluku and East Timor, in Austronesian historical linguistics and culture history: a festschrift, Pacific linguistics 601 (2009)

Naxi edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b(w)ay.

Adjective edit

wai

  1. left

References edit

  • Naxi Dictionary by T.M. Pinson, Lijiang 2012

Neko edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. water

References edit

  • Transnewguinea.org, citing McElhanon and Voorhoeve (1970)
  • J. Bullock, R. Gray, H. Paris, D. Pfantz, D. Richardson, A Sociolinguistic Survey of the Yabong, Migum, Nekgini, and Neko (2016)

Old Javanese edit

Etymology 1 edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. Alternative spelling of we (“sun, day”)

Etymology 2 edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. Alternative spelling of wwe (“water”)

Further reading edit

  • "wai" in P.J. Zoetmulder with the collaboration of S.O. Robson, Old Javanese-English Dictionary. 's-Gravenhage: M. Nijhoff, 1982.

Omba edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. water

References edit

  • Catriona Hyslop, The Lolovoli Dialect of the North-East Ambae Language: Vanuatu (2001)
  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Oroha edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. water

References edit

Owa edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

wai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • Greg Mellow, A Dictionary of Owa: A Language of the Solomon Islands

Palu'e edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. woman

References edit

  • Austronesian Comparative Dictionary

Pitjantjatjara edit

Interjection edit

wai

  1. hey

Pukapukan edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Polynesian *fai, from Proto-Oceanic *paʀi, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *paʀih, from Proto-Austronesian *paʀiS.

Noun edit

wai

  1. stingray (venomous ray of the orders Rajiformes and Myliobatiformes)

Hyponyms edit

Further reading edit

Raga edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

wai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • Malcolm Ross, Andrew Pawley, Meredith Osmond, The Lexicon of Proto-Oceanic (2007, →ISBN

Sa'a edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. water

Alternative forms edit

Further reading edit

Saterland Frisian edit

Etymology edit

From Old Frisian wei.

Pronunciation edit

IPA(key): /vaːi/

Noun edit

wai m (plural do Wege)

  1. way

References edit

  1. Dr. Fort, Marron, Dät Näie Tästamänt un do Psoolme in ju aasterlauwersfräiske Uurtoal fon dät

Seelterlound, Fräislound, Butjoarlound, Aastfräislound un do Groninger Umelounde

Sikaiana edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. water

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Siroi edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. arm, hand

Further reading edit

Tae' edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-South Sulawesi *wai, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

wai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

Tangoa edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

wai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • Malcolm Ross, Andrew Pawley, Meredith Osmond, The Lexicon of Proto-Oceanic (2007, →ISBN

Tiri edit

Adverb edit

wai

  1. already

References edit

  • Osumi, M. (1995). Tinrin Grammar. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. page 39

Tocharian B edit

Conjunction edit

wai

  1. and

Torres Strait Creole edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. (Eastern dialect) a coconut embryo

Usage notes edit

Wai (eastern dialect) or musu (western dialect) is the first stage of coconut growth. It is followed by giru (eastern dialect) or musu koknat (western dialect).

Synonyms edit

  • musu (western dialect)

Viti edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. water

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Waima'a edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. water

References edit

  • Aone van Engelenhoven, The position of Makuva among the Austronesian languages of Southwest Maluku and East Timor, in Austronesian historical linguistics and culture history: a festschrift, Pacific linguistics 601 (2009)

Waropen edit

Noun edit

wai

  1. Alternative form of ghai

References edit

  • The Linguistic Situation in the Islands of Yapen, Kurudu, Nau and Miosnum, New Guinea (1961)

West Makian edit

Pronunciation edit

Particle edit

wai

  1. (sentence-final); not yet

Alternative forms edit

References edit

  • Clemens Voorhoeve (1982) The Makian languages and their neighbours‎[3], Pacific linguistics

Ye'kwana edit

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

wai (possessed waichü)

  1. (in aichudi and ödemi chants) Synonym of jüwai (“shaman”)

References edit

  • Gongora, Majoí Fávero (2017) Ääma ashichaato: replicações, transformações, pessoas e cantos entre os Ye’kwana do rio Auaris‎[4], corrected edition, São Paulo: Universidade de São Paulo, page 424
Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=wai&oldid=78948608"