The word "wailing" is spelled with six letters and three syllables. The IPA phonetic transcription for this word is /ˈweɪ.lɪŋ/. The "w" in "wailing" is pronounced as /w/, the "ai" is pronounced as /eɪ/, the "l" is pronounced as /l/, the "i" is pronounced as /ɪ/ and the "ng" is pronounced as /ŋ/. Overall, the word "wailing" is pronounced as "way-ling" with emphasis on the first syllable. This word is commonly used to describe a loud, mournful cry or lament.
Wailing is an adjective that describes a loud, high-pitched, and mournful cry or lamentation. It refers to the act of expressing deep sorrow, grief, or distress through a prolonged, intense, and piercing vocalization.
The term is often associated with expressing extreme emotional pain or anguish, typically in response to a traumatic event, loss, or great suffering. It involves a vocalization that is characterized by a wavering, a quavering tone that conveys an intense and penetrating sense of despair. Wailing can also involve lamenting or mourning with great passion and intensity, sometimes accompanied by physical expressions such as tearing of clothes, beating one's chest, or falling to the ground.
Wailing has been a universal expression of grief and mourning across cultures and throughout history. It is often associated with funeral rites, religious rituals, and communal gatherings, where its intense and evocative nature serves as a way to honor and remember those who have passed away. Additionally, wailing can also be used metaphorically to describe other instances of piercing or lamenting sounds, such as the wailing of a siren or the wailing of the wind. Overall, wailing encapsulates the raw and profound outpouring of sorrow and despair through an audible cry.
Loud cries of sorrow: deep lamentation.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "wailing" comes from the Middle English word "waylen" or "wayle", which evolved from the Old English "wǣlian". This word can be traced further back to the Proto-Germanic root "*wailijaną". In early usage, "wailing" primarily referred to the act of lamenting or expressing grief through loud, mournful cries. Over time, it expanded in meaning to include any intense or anguished vocal expression.