Definition of SCHWA (original) (raw)
1
: an unstressed mid-central vowel (such as the usual sound of the first and last vowels of the English word America)
2
: the symbol ə used for the schwa sound and less widely for a similarly articulated stressed vowel (as in cut)
Word History
Etymology
German, from Hebrew schĕwā'
First Known Use
1895, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of schwa was in 1895
Browse Nearby Words
Cite this Entry
“Schwa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/schwa. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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