wahoo

¹ American  

[wah-hoo, wah-hoo] / wɑˈhu, ˈwɑ hu /

noun

plural

wahoos

1. any of various American shrubs or small trees, as the winged elm, Ulmus alata, or a linden, Tilia heterophylla.

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wahoo ² American  

[wah-hoo, wah-hoo] / wɑˈhu, ˈwɑ hu /

noun

plural

wahoos

1. a shrub or small tree, Euonymus atropurpurea, of North America, having finely serrated, elliptical leaves and pendulous capsules that in opening reveal the bright-scarlet arils of the seeds.

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wahoo ³ American  

[wah-hoo, wah-hoo] / wɑˈhu, ˈwɑ hu /

noun

plural

wahoos,

plural

wahoo

1. a large, swift mackerel, Acanthocybium solanderi, widespread in warm seas, of a steel blue to greenish blue above and silver below, often leaping from the water and occasionally schooling in great numbers: valued as a food and game fish.

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wahoo ⁴ American  

[wah-hoo] / ˈwɑˈhu /

interjection

1. (an exclamation used to express joy, excitement, etc.)

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wahoo ¹ British  

/ wɑːˈhuː, ˈwɑːhuː /

noun

1. Also called: winged elm.  an elm, Ulmus alata, of SE North America having twigs with winged corky edges

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wahoo ² British  

/ ˈwɑːhuː, wɑːˈhuː /

noun

1. Also called: burning bush.  an E North American shrub or small tree, Euonymus atropurpureus, with scarlet capsules and seeds

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wahoo ³ British  

/ ˈwɑːhuː, wɑːˈhuː /

noun

1. a large fast-moving food and game fish, Acanthocybium solandri, of tropical seas: family Scombridae (mackerels and tunnies)

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Etymology

Origin of wahoo¹

An Americanism dating back to 1760–70; possibly from Creek vhahwv “walnut”

Origin of wahoo²

An Americanism dating back to 1855–60; from Dakota wanhu, equivalent to wan- “arrow” + hu “wood, shaft”

Origin of wahoo³

First recorded in 1905–10; origin uncertain; perhaps from Wahoo, an obsolete spelling for Oahu (Hawaii)

Origin of wahoo⁴

An Americanism dating back to 1900–05; of imitative origin

Example Sentences

On the Hawaii trip, she texted that “two little wahoo swim by the oars and play in the swirls.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 16, 2020

Fishermen go door-to-door selling tuna and wahoo to islanders, while farmers drive through neighborhoods yelling out “Tomatoes! Lemons! Greens!” on a megaphone.

From Washington Times • May 11, 2020

Request a table overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway and order the seafood, such as stone-crab claws or raw wahoo.

From Washington Post • May 17, 2018

Its enthusiasts claim that the fishing in and around Plaquemines is the best anywhere — tuna, dolphin, wahoo, whale shark and marlin in the deep blue seas; redfish, flounder and speckled trout closer in.

From New York Times • Feb. 21, 2018

The principle shrubs are the goose-berry, Ribes gracile Mx.; poison ivy, Rhus Toxicodendron L.; wahoo, Evonymus atropurpureus Jacq.; bladder-nut, Staphylea trifolia L.; coral-berry, Symphoricarpos orbiculatus Moench.; blackberried elder, Sambucus canadensis L., etc.

From Journal of Entomology and Zoology Volume 11, Number 4, December 1919 by Alexander, Charles P.