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How do I spell the word woah as used in surprise or excitement? Is it similar to wow but for the last w?

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I knew it as Whoa! – Kris May 1 '12 at 11:32
Olright thanks. That what wiki said too, en.wiktionary.org/wiki/whoa – user101699 May 1 '12 at 11:35
Rather than surprise/ excitement, it's more like 'now, not so fast' or 'hold it'', I think. – Kris May 1 '12 at 11:35
But urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=whoa has many meanings for it. – user101699 May 1 '12 at 11:38
As an expression of delight or surprise (1980s) it has gradually superseded wow, which was very popular in the 1960s. dictionary.reference.com/browse/whoa – JLG May 1 '12 at 11:40

closed as general reference by J.R., kiamlaluno, Jasper Loy, Mr. Shiny and New 安宇, Mitch May 1 '12 at 13:29

This question is too basic; it can be definitively and permanently answered by a single link to a standard internet reference source designed specifically to find that type of information. See the FAQ for guidance on how to improve it.

1 Answer

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whoa
exclam.
used as a command to a horse to make it stop or slow down.
• informal used as a greeting, to express surprise or interest, or to command attention: whoa, that's huge!
NOAD

It's still whoa in all but Internet-speak.

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