ENGLISH
REFERENCE

wee

n. C / U
B1 Intermediate US //ˈwi// UK //wˈiː// wee Archaic Informal

n. an informal word for urine or the act of going to the bathroom. People often use it when talking to children or in a lighthearted way.

n. an instance of urination or the liquid waste itself. Informal in register; frequently used in British and Commonwealth English, particularly when addressing children.


SIMPLE

The puppy had a little wee on the carpet.

CONTEXTUAL

The toddler told his mother he needed a wee just as they were about to leave the house.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English wey, weygh, wegh, weȝe, wæȝe (“little bit”), from Old English wǣġ, wǣġe (“weight”), from Proto-West Germanic wāgu, from Proto-Germanic wēgō (“scales, weight”) and *wēgǭ (“weight”), related to Middle English weġan (“to move, weigh”) (15c).

Etymology 2

Onomatopoeic for the sound of urination. The noun derives from the verb.

Etymology 3

* see we

Usage

Often used in the phrase 'to have a wee' or 'to go for a wee'.

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