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wah-wah

or wa-wa

[ wah-wah ]

adjective

  1. producing a muted, bawling sound like that of a trumpet with the hand moved momentarily over the bell:

    a wah-wah effect on a synthesizer; a guitar with a wah-wah pedal.



noun

  1. a sound or effect like the muted sound of a trumpet, especially in music.
  2. an electronic device or attachment to produce such a sound, often used with an electric guitar.

wah-wah

/ ˈwɑːˌwɑː /

noun

  1. the sound made by a trumpet, cornet, etc, when the bell is alternately covered and uncovered: much used in jazz
  2. an electronic attachment for an electric guitar, etc, that simulates this effect
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of wah-wah1

First recorded in 1925–30; imitative
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Word History and Origins

Origin of wah-wah1

C20: of imitative origin
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Example Sentences

Bell-like electric pianos and wah-wah bass sounds combined with whispers and chants about brown rice all over a deep repetitive groove.

The set contained hits and nothing but: “Witchy Woman” into “Peaceful Easy Feeling” into “Tequila Sunrise” into “In the City,” the last with room for Walsh to take both a slide-guitar solo and a wah-wah solo.

Richard E. Grant’s formative years in 1960s Swaziland provide the backdrop for the affecting ‘Wah-Wah.’

His past diaries produced two fun books about his day job: “With Nails: The Film Diaries of Richard E. Grant,” which takes its name from his breakout role in “Withnail and I”; and “The Wah Wah Diaries,” about directing an autobiographical movie, “Wah-Wah.”

Tina transforms Allen Toussaint’s relaxed New Orleans funk number “Viva La Money” into a gleaming glitterball, turning the rhythms toward disco through use of clavinet and wah-wah guitars.

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