Here you’ll find 70 Big words that start with W, organized from “wainscoting” to “wunderkind”. These entries are polysyllabic, high-register English words often useful for writers, students, educators, and vocabulary enthusiasts.
Big words that start with W are polysyllabic, often formal or rare English terms with clear origins and precise meanings. For example, “wunderkind” arrived from German and shows how borrowing enriches English vocabulary.
Below you’ll find the table with Word, Etymology, and Definition.
Word: The entry as written so you can scan, recognize, and select terms to read, learn, or use.
Etymology: Brief origin notes showing language of origin and root morphemes, helping you grasp historical meaning.
Definition: A concise, one-sentence meaning that you can use immediately in writing, study, or conversation.
Big words that start with W
| Word | Part of speech | Syllables | Etymology |
|---|---|---|---|
| weltanschauung | noun | 4 | German: Welt ‘world’ + Anschauung ‘view’ |
| wunderkind | noun | 3 | German: wunder ‘wonder’ + kind ‘child’ |
| wunderkammer | noun | 4 | German: Wunder ‘wonder’ + Kammer ‘chamber’ |
| weltschmerz | noun | 3 | German: Welt ‘world’ + Schmerz ‘pain’ |
| wainscoting | noun | 3 | Middle Dutch: wagenschot ‘wagon panel’ |
| widdershins | adv. | 3 | Middle English/Norse: wither ‘against’ + shins ‘direction’ |
| whilom | adj./adv. | 2 | Old English: hwilum ‘for a time’ |
| whimsicality | noun | 4 | Scots: whim ‘fancy’ + -ical + -ity |
| whimsicism | noun | 4 | Scots: whim ‘fancy’ + -ism |
| wheedlingly | adv. | 3 | English: wheedle ‘coax’ + -ing + -ly |
| wheedle | verb | 2 | Old English/Germanic: root ‘hwædan’ (to coax) |
| wheedler | noun | 2 | English: wheedle + -er |
| wheedlesome | adj. | 3 | English: wheedle + -some |
| whilest | conj. | 2 | Old English: hwīl ‘while’ + -est |
| whitewash | verb | 2 | Old English: white + wash |
| whitewashing | noun | 3 | English: whitewash + -ing |
| whitewashed | adj. | 2 | English: whitewash + -ed |
| whitethorn | noun | 2 | Old English: white + thorn (plant) |
| whitethorny | adj. | 3 | English: whitethorn + -y |
| whitethorniness | noun | 4 | English: whitethorny + -ness |
| whitling? excluded | noun | 2 | — |
| wilderment | noun | 3 | English: wilder ‘to bewilder’ + -ment |
| willfulness | noun | 3 | Old English/Germanic: willa ‘will’ + -ful + -ness |
| will-o’-the-wisp | noun | 4 | English: folkloric phrase (will-o’-the-wisp) |
| willingness | noun | 3 | Old English/Germanic: willa ‘will’ + -ing + -ness |
| windhover | noun | 3 | Middle English: wind + hover |
| windlessness | noun | 3 | English: wind + -less + -ness |
| windproofing | noun | 3 | English: wind + proof + -ing |
| windswept | adj. | 2 | Old English: wind + swept |
| windsweptness | noun | 3 | English: windswept + -ness |
| windsurfing | noun | 3 | English: wind + surfing |
| winegrower | noun | 3 | English: wine + grower |
| winegrowing | noun | 3 | English: wine + growing |
| winepress | noun | 2 | Old English: wine + press |
| wintergreen | noun | 3 | Old English: winter + green |
| wintering | noun | 3 | English: winter + -ing |
| wintertime | noun | 3 | Old English: winter + time |
| wintertide | noun | 3 | Old English: winter + tide ‘time’ |
| wishfulness | noun | 3 | Old English/Germanic: wish + -ful + -ness |
| witlessness | noun | 3 | Old English/Germanic: wit ‘intellect’ + -less + -ness |
| witticism | noun | 3 | Old English/Germanic: wit ‘intellect’ + French -icisme |
| wittily | adv. | 3 | Old English/Germanic: wit + -tily |
| wizenedness | noun | 3 | Middle English: wizen ‘shrivel’ + -ed + -ness |
| wohlgefühl | noun | 3 | German: Wohl ‘well’ + Gefühl ‘feeling’ |
| wolfishness | noun | 3 | Old English/Germanic: wolf + -ish + -ness |
| woebegone | adj. | 3 | Old English: woe ‘sorrow’ + be + gone |
| woebegoneness | noun | 4 | English: woebegone + -ness |
| woefulness | noun | 3 | Old English: woe + -ful + -ness |
| woefully | adv. | 3 | Old English: woe + -fully |
| womanhood | noun | 3 | Old English/Germanic: woman + -hood |
| womanliness | noun | 4 | Old English: woman + -liness |
| womanlike | adj. | 3 | Old English: woman + -like |
| womenfolk | noun | 3 | Old English: women + folk |
| wonderment | noun | 3 | Old English: wundor ‘marvel’ + -ment |
| wonderworking | adj. | 4 | English: wonder + working |
| wonderstruck | adj. | 3 | English: wonder + struck |
| wonderstruckness | noun | 4 | English: wonderstruck + -ness |
| workability | noun | 5 | English/French: work + -able + -ity |
| workaday | adj. | 3 | English: work + a + day |
| workaholism | noun | 4 | English: work + -aholic + -ism |
| workhouse | noun | 2 | Middle English: work + house |
| worldliness | noun | 3 | Old English: world + -ly + -ness |
| worldview | noun | 2 | Germanic: world + view |
| world-weary | adj. | 3 | English/Germanic: world + weary |
| worshipfulness | noun | 4 | Old English: worship ‘honour’ + -ful + -ness |
| worshipper | noun | 3 | Old English: worship + -er |
| worthlessness | noun | 4 | Old English: worth + -less + -ness |
| worthwhileness | noun | 4 | English: worth + while + -ness |
| wraithlike | adj. | 2 | Old English/Norse: wraith ‘ghost’ + -like |
| wrote? excluded | — | — | — |
Descriptions
weltanschauung
A German loan meaning a comprehensive worldview or philosophical outlook; used in English to describe an overarching cultural or personal perspective.
wunderkind
A prodigy or exceptionally talented young person; commonly used for youthful experts in arts or science.
wunderkammer
A “cabinet of curiosities” historically for collecting rare objects; used for eclectic collections or museums of oddities.
weltschmerz
A literary term for world-weariness or melancholy about the imperfect world; common in discussions of Romantic literature.
wainscoting
Interior wooden panelling along a wall; also used figuratively for traditional, old-fashioned décor.
widdershins
An adverb meaning counterclockwise or in a contrary direction; archaic but still used for stylistic effect.
whilom
An archaic word meaning former or once; appears in literary or historical contexts.
whimsicality
The quality of being fanciful or capricious; used to describe playful unpredictability in art or behaviour.
whimsicism
A disposition to act on sudden ideas; refers to fanciful or quixotic theories or practices.
wheedlingly
In a coaxing or flattering manner; used to describe persuasive, often insincere speech.
wheedle
To coax or persuade through flattery or guile; common in literary and conversational English.
wheedler
One who wheedles; used for someone who gains favors by flattery or cajolery.
wheedlesome
Tending to wheedle; describing a person or manner that is coaxing or ingratiating.
whilest
Archaic literary conjunction meaning while; occasionally used for a formal or poetic tone.
whitewash
To hide defects or mislead by glossing over; figuratively used in contexts of cover-ups and reputational repair.
whitewashing
The act of glossing over wrongdoing or making something appear faultless; used in critical commentary.
whitewashed
Describes something obscured or made to appear better than it is, especially scandals.
whitethorn
A common name for certain thorny shrubs (Crataegus/Cratægus); used in botanical or literary contexts.
whitethorny
Having the characteristics of whitethorn; used descriptively in botany and literature.
whitethorniness
The quality of being thorny like a whitethorn; chiefly literary or descriptive.
whitling? excluded
—
wilderment
A state of confusion or bewilderment; literary term conveying deep perplexity.
willfulness
The quality of obstinate intent; often used in legal and behavioral descriptions.
will-o’-the-wisp
A folktale apparition leading travellers astray; used metaphorically for elusive goals (note: idiomatic phrase).
willingness
Readiness or consent to act; common in formal and informal registers.
windhover
Poetic name for the kestrel, a hovering bird of prey; used in ornithological and literary contexts.
windlessness
Lack of wind; used in meteorological descriptions.
windproofing
Materials or measures that prevent wind penetration; used in technical and everyday contexts.
windswept
Exposed to the wind; used descriptively in literature and geography.
windsweptness
The quality of being exposed to winds; literary descriptive noun.
windsurfing
A water sport; established leisure term.
winegrower
A viticulturist; formal term used in oenology and agriculture.
winegrowing
The cultivation of grapes for wine; technical agricultural term.
winepress
A device for pressing grapes; used in viticulture and historical contexts.
wintergreen
A plant or flavor; used in botany and culinary descriptions.
wintering
The act of passing the winter; used in zoology and travel accounts.
wintertime
The season of winter; literary and common usage.
wintertide
Poetic term for the winter season; used for elevated or archaic tone.
wishfulness
A state of longing or yearning; common in literary descriptions.
witlessness
A lack of intelligence or judgement; used pejoratively or in critique.
witticism
A clever or humorous remark; common in literary and conversational English.
wittily
In a clever or humorous way; usage note: often applied to speech or writing.
wizenedness
The quality of being shriveled or wizened; literary descriptive noun.
wohlgefühl
A rare German loan meaning a pleasant, well-being feeling; used in literary or psychological contexts.
wolfishness
Predatory or lustful behaviour metaphorically likened to wolves; literary and descriptive use.
woebegone
Looking mournful or sorrowful; a vivid literary adjective.
woebegoneness
The state of being woebegone; used sparingly in literary description.
woefulness
State of deep sorrow or misfortune; used in formal and literary contexts.
woefully
Regretfully or lamentably; commonly used for emphasis in formal writing.
womanhood
The state or qualities of being a woman; used in sociological and literary contexts.
womanliness
Qualities traditionally associated with women; appears in historical and cultural commentary.
womanlike
Resembling or characteristic of a woman; literary or formal use.
womenfolk
A traditional term for a group of women; regional or historical register.
wonderment
A feeling of surprise or admiration; widely used in literary and everyday English.
wonderworking
Performing miracles or marvels; used in religious or archaic contexts.
wonderstruck
Struck by amazement; poetic or elevated usage.
wonderstruckness
The state of being astonished; chiefly literary.
workability
The practicality or feasibility of something; used in technical, legal, and managerial contexts.
workaday
Ordinary or routine; used to describe everyday, prosaic matters.
workaholism
Compulsive dedication to work; modern psychological and sociological term.
workhouse
Historic institution for the poor; used in social history and literature.
worldliness
Focus on secular life and material concerns; used in moral and literary contexts.
worldview
A person’s overall perspective; widely used academically and colloquially.
world-weary
Fatigued by life or experience; literary and formal use (dash optional).
worshipfulness
The quality of reverent devotion; used in religious and literary descriptions.
worshipper
One who worships; used across religious and cultural contexts.
worthlessness
The quality of lacking value or merit; used in moral, economic, or literary critique.
worthwhileness
The degree to which something merits time or effort; used evaluatively.
wraithlike
Ghostly or spectral in appearance; used in literary description.
wrote? excluded
—