bow-wow: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal, child-directed speech, nursery
Quick answer
What does “bow-wow” mean?
An onomatopoeic representation of a dog's bark.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An onomatopoeic representation of a dog's bark.
Informal term for a dog; also used to imitate the sound a dog makes, especially in child-directed speech.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is very similar; it is a universal onomatopoeia. The term 'bow-wow' for a dog is slightly more established in older British nursery contexts (e.g., 'Bow-wow, says the dog').
Connotations
Connotes childishness, playfulness, or simplicity in both dialects.
Frequency
Low frequency in adult speech, but universally recognized. Slightly more prevalent in UK children's media historically.
Grammar
How to Use “bow-wow” in a Sentence
[Subject] + go(es) 'bow-wow'It sounds like 'bow-wow'.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bow-wow” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The puppy began to bow-wow at the postman.
American English
- My dog bow-wowed all night at the raccoons.
adverb
British English
- It went bow-wow very loudly.
American English
- The toy barks bow-wow when you squeeze it.
adjective
British English
- He made a funny bow-wow noise.
American English
- It's just a bow-wow sound, nothing scary.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Only in historical linguistics referencing the 'bow-wow theory' of language origin.
Everyday
Used with young children or humorously to imitate a dog.
Technical
Not used in technical contexts outside of specific historical linguistics.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bow-wow”
- Writing it as one word 'bowwow' (hyphenated or spaced is standard).
- Pronouncing it as /boʊ woʊ/ (like the verb 'bow'). Correct is /baʊ waʊ/ (like 'how now').
- Using it in formal writing.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a lexicalized onomatopoeia. It's a real word used as a noun for 'dog' in childish registers and as an interjection/verb for the sound itself.
Typically no. Adult usage is almost always humorous, ironic, or when speaking to very young children. In academic history of linguistics, it is used seriously in the phrase 'bow-wow theory'.
'Woof' is the more standard, less childish onomatopoeia for a dog's bark. 'Bow-wow' is more playful, childish, and often associated with smaller dogs or nursery settings.
It is most standardly written with a hyphen: bow-wow. Sometimes it appears in quotes or as two separate words 'bow wow'. The one-word spelling 'bowwow' is less common.
An onomatopoeic representation of a dog's bark.
Bow-wow is usually informal, child-directed speech, nursery in register.
Bow-wow: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbaʊ ˈwaʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbaʊ ˈwaʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “bow-wow theory (obsolete linguistic theory linking language origin to onomatopoeia)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a dog bowing and then saying 'WOW!' -> BOW-WOW.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOUND IS LABEL (The sound an animal makes becomes its name in child-speak).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'bow-wow' be LEAST appropriate?