How Do You Spell WATCHFUL?

Pronunciation: [wˈɒt͡ʃfə͡l] (IPA)

The word 'watchful' is spelled with a 'ch' combination that is pronounced as 'tʃ'. The IPA phonetic transcription of the word is /ˈwɒtʃfʊl/. This means that the 'w' is pronounced as 'w', the 'a' as 'ɒ', the 't' as 't', the 'ch' as 'tʃ', the 'f' as 'f', the 'u' as 'ʊ', and the 'l' as 'l'. This spelling is important to ensure that the word is pronounced correctly and clearly, and to avoid confusion with other similarly spelled words, such as 'watchable' or 'watchdog'.

WATCHFUL Meaning and Definition

1. Watchful means being attentive, alert, and vigilant in observing and paying close attention to one's surroundings or a particular situation. It is an adjective that describes the state of being cautious and mindful, exhibiting vigilance and careful observation.

   When someone is watchful, they are actively monitoring their environment, looking out for any potential dangers, risks, or changes. They remain alert, keeping a careful eye on their surroundings, ensuring they are aware of any potential threats or significant developments that may require immediate action. Being watchful implies a responsible and conscientious attitude towards one's own safety or the safety of others.

   Watchfulness is often associated with being awake, not sleeping or being drowsy, as it requires a certain level of mental and sensory attentiveness. In a figurative sense, being watchful can also extend to being cautious and mindful in decision-making or identifying potential risks or hazards in various aspects of life, such as finances, relationships, or health.

   The trait of being watchful is valued and appreciated in various contexts, including security, parenting, leadership, and emergency response. Individuals who are watchful are proactive and diligent in ensuring the safety and well-being of themselves and others.

2. Vigilant; careful to observe; attentive.

   Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for WATCHFUL *

• watchfull 100%

* 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.

Other Common Misspellings for WATCHFUL

• watcful
• qatchful
• aatchful
• satchful
• wathful
• lathful
• watchfule
• wachfull
• Unwatchfal

Etymology of WATCHFUL

The word "watchful" comes from the Middle English word "watshful", which was derived from the Old English word "wæccan" meaning "to be awake, keep watch". The suffix "-ful" was added to signify full of, characterized by, or having the quality of being watchful. The root of "wæccan" can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic language, which had a similar word "wakōną". Ultimately, the word "watchful" can be traced to the Proto-Indo-European root word "*weg-" meaning "to be strong, lively".

Idioms with the word WATCHFUL

• under the (watchful) eye of somebody To be under the watchful eye of somebody means to be closely observed or monitored by that person, often implying a sense of supervision or scrutiny.

Similar spelling word for WATCHFUL

• watchfully.