noun
Uncommon
wat
wat
Wat (noun) means a Buddhist temple complex, especially in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia. Example: “Tourists lined up outside the wat to see the golden Buddha statue.”
noun
1
A Buddhist temple complex, especially in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia.
"The ubosoth is in a small enclosure just before the main entrance to the wat, on the right, which has fine gilded doors. The wat has a small museum."
— Joshua Eliot with Jane Bickersteth, Thailand handbook (2003)
"There are two wats near this village."
"Tourists lined up outside the wat to see the golden Buddha statue."
"It is often possible to discern the motivation or importance of a wat by examining its name"
— Steve Van Beek with Luca Invernizzi, The arts of Thailand (1999)
2
A spicy Ethiopian or Eritrean stew, usually eaten with injera bread.
"The restaurant served a rich chicken wat with a side of injera."
How to use wat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia, or a spicy Ethiopian stew — two unrelated words that happen to look alike.
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Word forms
- Plural
- wats
Fill the gap
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Tourists lined up outside the _____ to see the golden Buddha statue.
Etymology
The "temple" sense is borrowed from Thai วัด (wát).
Rhymes for wat
See all rhymes for wat →Frequently asked questions
What does “wat” mean?
The word “wat” means a Buddhist temple complex, especially in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia. In plain terms, either a Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia, or a spicy Ethiopian stew — two unrelated words that happen to look alike.
How do you pronounce “wat”?
“Wat” is pronounced wat (/wat/ in IPA).
How do you use “wat” in a sentence?
Here is “wat” used in a sentence: “Tourists lined up outside the wat to see the golden Buddha statue.”
What part of speech is “wat”?
“Wat” is a noun.
Is “wat” a common word?
“Wat” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “wat” have?
“Wat” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a Buddhist temple complex, especially in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia.
