schwa

[ shwah ]

noun

, Phonetics.

1. the mid-central, neutral vowel sound typically occurring in unstressed syllables in English, however spelled, as the sound of a in alone and sofa, of e in system, of i in easily, of o in gallop, and of u in circus.
2. the phonetic symbol ə, used to represent this sound.

schwa

/ ʃwɑː /

noun

1. a central vowel represented in the International Phonetic Alphabet by ( ə ). The sound occurs in unstressed syllables in English, as in around, mother, and sofa
2. the symbol ( ə ) used to represent this sound

Word History and Origins

Origin of schwa¹

First recorded in 1890–95; from German, from Hebrew shəwā, literally, “nothingness, emptiness, vanity,” and the name of a diacritic marking schwa or no vowel

Word History and Origins

Origin of schwa¹

C19: via German from Hebrew shewā, a diacritic indicating lack of a vowel sound

Example Sentences

The schwa — the “uh”-like sound that can be represented by any vowel in the English alphabet — was a stone-cold killer.

From New York Times

The schwa — the “uh”-like sound that can be represented by any vowel in the English alphabet, also known as the bane of competitive spellers’ existence — knocked out several finalists, as it routinely does.

From New York Times

Some see this as an expression of male dominance and support the introduction of gender-neutral noun endings, such as asterisks or the so-called "schwa", a symbol that looks like an inverted "e".

From Reuters

Spellers know it by its proper name: the schwa.

From Fox News

Red tickets are handed out to some students, as the class learns about the “schwa” sound of words displayed on the overhead screen.

From Washington Times