noun
whammy
WA-mee
noun
1
A serious setback, or a run of bad luck, often used in the phrase "double whammy" for two problems hitting at once.
"Losing his job and his car in the same week was a real double whammy."
2
Informal: a curse or evil spell.
"She joked that someone must have put a whammy on the team this season."
3
The vibrato bar (or its lever) on an electric guitar, used to bend pitch.
"He dove the whammy bar to get that classic dive-bomb sound."
How to Use Whammy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA big setback or run of bad luck, a curse, or a guitar's pitch-bend lever.
Common pairings
double whammy
put a whammy on
whammy bar
Word Forms
whammies plural
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Losing his job and his car in the same week was a real double _____.
Etymology
Built from wham plus the suffix -y, turning the sound of a hit into a noun for a jinx or blow of misfortune.