WordGarden.iowahoo
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /wˈæhuː/
US
- /ˈwɑˈhu/
Meanings
Noun
a large fast-swimming tropical ocean fish
a small North American shrub or tree
Interjection
used to express excitement, joy, or triumph
Beyond the definition
"Wahoo!" is a lively shout of joy or excitement, like when someone wins a race or gets great news. It can also mean a very fast game fish found in warm seas, known for its speed and valued by people who fish. In another sense, it is also a name used for some North American trees or shrubs. So the word can point to a happy cry, a fish, or a plant, depending on the situation.
Imagine the rush of reaching the top of a roller coaster or scoring the winning point in a game. That burst of feeling can come out as a shout, and sometimes that shout is "Wahoo!" In this sense, the word is an exclamation of delight, excitement, or triumph. It has a playful, energetic feel, and you might hear it when someone gets wonderful news, wins something, or simply feels thrilled in the moment.
But the word also belongs to the natural world. In the sea, a wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri) is a long, fast fish that lives in tropical and subtropical waters. It is well known among anglers because it moves quickly, fights hard, and is also valued as food. In many everyday contexts, this fish meaning is the most common noun use of the word.
On land, "wahoo" can also be a plant name in North America, especially for certain shrubs or small trees, such as the eastern wahoo. This use is much less common for most learners than the exclamation or the fish, but it is still a real and established meaning.
So the word carries several different senses: a happy shout, a fast ocean fish, and, less often, a plant name. The intended meaning usually becomes clear right away from the setting and the sentence around it.
Examples
- 1
Celebration
Wahoo, we finished the project a day early!
- 2
Excited shout
She threw her hands in the air and shouted, “Wahoo!”
- 3
Seafood
The restaurant’s special tonight is grilled wahoo with rice.
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- wahoonoun