double-u
Letter named literally
Double-u is the name of the letter W, describing its shape as two U's joined together.
The letter actually resembles two V's, reflecting its origin when U and V were written the same way.
Double-u is the only English letter whose name has more than one syllable—and the only one requiring three.
Twenty-third English letter
- alphabetLanguage's letter system
- twenty-thirdRanking at position 23
- uppercaseCapital letter form
- lowercaseUncapitalized letter form
consonant · spelling · phonics · character · typography · font · cursive · handwriting
Two letters, one sound
- LatinAncient Roman language
- etymologyWord origin study
- medievalOf the Middle Ages
- scribesProfessional document copiers
runic · Germanic · historical · ligature · manuscript · scribal · Norman · Anglo-Saxon
Invariance under transformation
- pointedTapering to a tip
- angularSharp-edged or rawboned
- zigzagAngled back-and-forth path
- peaksHighest points attained
valleys · waveform · chevron · inverted · M-shaped · geometry · form · outline
Units of pronunciation
- nameIdentifying word for someone
- enunciationClarity of spoken words
- articulationClear vocal expression
- phoneticRelating to speech sounds
spoken · verbal · diction · utterance · vocalization · speech · accent · dialect
W
Twenty-third English letter
- alphabetLanguage's letter system
- twenty-thirdRanking at position 23
- uppercaseCapital letter form
lowercase · consonant · spelling · phonics · character · typography · font · cursive · handwriting · calligraphy
digraph
Two letters, one sound
scribes · runic · Germanic · historical · ligature · manuscript · scribal · Norman · Anglo-Saxon · paleography
symmetry
Invariance under transformation
peaks · valleys · waveform · chevron · inverted · M-shaped · geometry · form · outline · contour
syllables
Units of pronunciation
- nameIdentifying word for someone
- enunciationClarity of spoken words
- articulationClear vocal expression
phonetic · spoken · verbal · diction · utterance · vocalization · speech · accent · dialect · Bush
- double checkVerify a second time
- double standardUnequally applied moral code
- double dateCouples' shared outing
- double takeDelayed reaction of surprise
- double lifeSecret parallel identity
- double clickTwo rapid consecutive presses
double, doubled, double down, doubles, redouble, doublet, redoubled, doubler, doublets