woof

woof · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*webʰ-“to braid; to weave”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*webaną“to weave”
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*weban“to weave”
4. Old English · inherited fromōwef
5. Middle English · inherited fromwof
6. English todaywoof

The noun is derived from Middle English wof, oof, owf (“threads in a piece of woven fabric at right angles to the warp, weft, woof; also sometimes the warp; transverse filaments of a spider web”) [and other forms] (the forms beginning with w were influenced by warp and weft), from Old English ōwef, āwef, from ō-, ā- (prefix meaning ‘away; from; off; out’) + *wef (“web”) (only attested in the form gewef (“woof”); from wefan (“to weave”), from Proto-West Germanic *weban (“to weave”), from Proto-Germanic *webaną (“to weave”), from Proto-Indo-European *webʰ- (“to braid; to weave”)). The verb is derived from the noun.

woof · interjection, noun, verb²

The interjection and noun are onomatopoeic. Interjection etymology 2, interjection sense 2 (“used to express strong physical attraction for someone”) probably alludes to the eager barking of a dog. The verb is probably derived from the interjection and the noun. Verb etymology 2, verb sense 1.2 (“to eat (food) voraciously”) may be influenced by or, alternatively, derived from wolf (“to eat (food) voraciously, devour, gobble”).

woof · verb³

From WWOOF, an acronym of World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms which is a network of national organizations that facilitate homestays on organic farms.

woof · interjection⁴

Onomatopoeic.

Words from the same roots