English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Middle English a ha, aha, natural expression. Equivalent to ah + ha!.

Pronunciation

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Interjection

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aha

  1. An exclamation of understanding, realization, invention, or recognition.
    Aha! That will work.
  2. An exclamation of surprise, exaltation, or contempt.
    Aha! Now I've got you!

Derived terms

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Translations

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See also

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Anagrams

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Czech

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Pronunciation

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Interjection

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aha

  1. aha, I see (expresion of understanding, realization, invention or recognition)

Noun

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aha n (indeclinable)

  1. (colloquial, obsolete) toilet
    Synonyms: záchod, toaleta

Further reading

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  • aha”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
  • aha”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

Esperanto

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Pronunciation

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Interjection

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aha

  1. aha
    Synonym: oho

Pronunciation

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Noun

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aha (plural ahawo)

  1. alcohol

Finnish

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Etymology

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Like ah (to which it is somehow related), tracing an exact origin is impossible. Probably ultimately a natural expression.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈɑhɑ(ˣ)/, [ˈɑ̝ɦɑ̝(ʔ)]
  • Rhymes: -ɑhɑ
  • Syllabification(key): a‧ha

Interjection

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aha

  1. uh-huh (indicates that the speaker agrees or is simply still listening)

Usage notes

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Depending on the context and intonation (especially with rising intonation), the interjection may instead be interpreted as dismissing or disagreeing with an opinion.

See also

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Anagrams

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German

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Pronunciation

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Interjection

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aha

  1. aha

Further reading

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  • aha” in Duden online
  • aha” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Gothic

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Romanization

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aha

  1. Romanization of 𐌰𐌷𐌰

Hadza

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Pronunciation

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Noun

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aha m (masc. plural ahabii, fem. ahako, fem. plural ahabee)

  1. tooth (fem. = molar, fem. pl. = adult teeth, masc. pl. = baby teeth)
  2. red velvet mite (Trombidiid)

Usage notes

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The form after a determiner is aha.

Hawaiian

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Etymology

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From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *afa. Cognates include Maori aha and Rapa Nui aha.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈa.ha/, [ˈɐ.hə]
  • Hyphenation: a‧ha

Pronoun

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aha

  1. what?
    He aha kēlā?What is that?

References

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  • Pukui, Mary Kawena, Elbert, Samuel H. (1986) “aha”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press

Hungarian

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Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): [ˈɒhɒ] or [ɒˈhɒ] (only as an exclamation)
  • Rhymes: -hɒ

Interjection

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aha

  1. (colloquial) aha (an exclamation of sudden understanding, realization, or recognition)
    Aha, itt a hiba!Aha, here’s the problem!
  2. (colloquial) uh-huh (used informally in place of a “yes”)

Further reading

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  • (exclamation of sudden understanding, realization, or recognition): aha in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (“The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language”, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN
  • (used informally in place of a “yes”): aha in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (“The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language”, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN
  • aha in Nóra Ittzés, editor, A magyar nyelv nagyszótára [A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (Nszt.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 2006–2031 (work in progress; published a–ez as of 2024).

Maori

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Etymology

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From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *afa, from Proto-Oceanic *apa, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *apa, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *apa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *apa.

Pronoun

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aha

  1. what (interrogative pronoun)

References

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  • aha” in John C. Moorfield, Te Aka: Maori–English, English–Maori Dictionary and Index, 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, 2011, →ISBN.

Old Polish

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Etymology

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Natural expression. First attested in the second half of the 15th century.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): (10th–15th CE) /a(ː)xa(ː)/
  • IPA(key): (15th CE) /axa/, /ɒxɒ/

Interjection

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aha

  1. (hapax, attested in Greater Poland) aha (showing surprise)
    • 1916 [second half of the 15th century], Stanisław Słoński, editor, Psałterz puławski[1], Greater Poland, pages 69, 4:
      Odwroczcze szye wszystczy rychlo zapalayøcz szya, gysz my mowyø: aha, aha (qui dicunt mihi: Euge, euge)!
      [Odwroćcie sie wszystcy rychło zapalając się, jiż mi mowią: aha, aha (qui dicunt mihi: Euge, euge)!]

Descendants

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  • Polish: aha
  • Silesian: aha

References

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  • Sławski, Franciszek (1958-1965) “aha”, in Jan Safarewicz, Andrzej Siudut, editors, Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego [Etymological dictionary of the Polish language] (in Polish), Kraków: Towarzystwo Miłośników Języka Polskiego
  • B. Sieradzka-Baziur, Ewa Deptuchowa, Joanna Duska, Mariusz Frodyma, Beata Hejmo, Dorota Janeczko, Katarzyna Jasińska, Krystyna Kajtoch, Joanna Kozioł, Marian Kucała, Dorota Mika, Gabriela Niemiec, Urszula Poprawska, Elżbieta Supranowicz, Ludwika Szelachowska-Winiarzowa, Zofia Wanicowa, Piotr Szpor, Bartłomiej Borek, editors (2011–2015), “aha”, in Słownik pojęciowy języka staropolskiego [Conceptual Dictionary of Old Polish] (in Polish), Kraków: IJP PAN, →ISBN

Old Saxon

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Etymology

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From Proto-West Germanic *ahu, from Proto-Germanic *ahwō (waters, river), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ekʷeh₂ (water).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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aha f

  1. water
  2. running water, river, stream

Declension

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Polish

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Inherited from Old Polish aha.

Pronunciation

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  • Audio 1:(file)
  • Audio 2:(file)
  • Rhymes: -a
  • Syllabification: a‧ha

Interjection

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aha

  1. aha! (showing confirmation) [from 1546][1]
  2. aha! (showing understanding) [second half of the 15th century][2]
  3. aha! (showing that the speaker suddenly remembered something)
  4. (Middle Polish) ah! (showing pain) [17 c.][3]

References

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  1. ^ Maria Renata Mayenowa, Stanisław Rospond, Witold Taszycki, Stefan Hrabec, Władysław Kuraszkiewicz (2010-2023) “aha”, in Słownik Polszczyzny XVI Wieku [A Dictionary of 16th Century Polish]
  2. ^ S. Urbańczyk, editor (1953–2002), “aha”, in Słownik staropolski (in Polish), volumes 1–11, Wrocław, Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk, Łódź: Polish Academy of Sciences
  3. ^ Krystyna Siekierska (04.08.2009) “AHA”, in Elektroniczny Słownik Języka Polskiego XVII i XVIII Wieku [Electronic Dictionary of the Polish Language of the XVII and XVIII Century]

Further reading

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  • aha in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
  • aha in Polish dictionaries at PWN
  • Zofia Stamirowska (1987-2024) “aha”, in Anna Basara, editor, Słownik gwar Ostródzkiego, Warmii i Mazur, volume 1, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich Wydawnictwo Polskiej Akademii Nauk, →ISBN, page 115

Rapa Nui

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Etymology

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From Proto-Polynesian *hafa. Cognates include Hawaiian aha and Maori aha.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈa.ha/
  • Hyphenation: a‧ha

Pronoun

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aha

  1. what?

Usage notes

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  • aha is always preceded by an article (either he or te).

References

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  • Veronica Du Feu (1996) Rapanui (Descriptive Grammars), Routledge, →ISBN, page 21
  • Paulus Kieviet (2017) A grammar of Rapa Nui[2], Berlin: Language Science Press, →ISBN, page 404

Romanian

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Interjection

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aha

  1. Obsolete form of a.

References

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  • aha in Academia Română, Micul dicționar academic, ediția a II-a, Bucharest: Univers Enciclopedic, 2010. →ISBN

Silesian

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Etymology

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Inherited from Old Polish aha.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /aˈxa/
  • Rhymes: -a
  • Syllabification: a‧ha

Interjection

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aha

  1. aha! (showing confirmation)
  2. aha! (showing understanding)
  3. aha! (showing that the speaker suddenly remembered something)

Further reading

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Sotho

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Etymology

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From Proto-Bantu *-jáka, a variant of Proto-Bantu *-jíbaka.

Verb

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aha

  1. to build

Tahitian

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Etymology

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From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *afa, from Proto-Oceanic *apa, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *apa, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *apa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *apa.

Pronoun

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aha

  1. what (interrogative pronoun)

Ternate

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Pronunciation

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Noun

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aha

  1. a sago plantation

References

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  • Rika Hayami-Allen (2001) A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh

Toba

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Particle

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aha

  1. yes

References

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  • María Belén Carpio, Marisa Censabella (2012) “Clauses as noun modifiers in Toba”, in Bernard Comrie, Zarina Estrada Fernández, editors, Relative Clauses in Languages of the Americas (in Toba), →ISBN

Yoruba

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Ahá

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ahá

  1. drinking calabash; a small cup carved out of a calabash used to drink palm wine and feed babies.