# awe

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɔː/ · frequency rank #9,568

## Definitions
1. A feeling of fear and reverence.
2. A feeling of amazement.
3. Power to inspire awe.

## Etymology
From Middle English aw, awe, agh, awȝe, borrowed from Old Norse agi, from Proto-Germanic *agaz (“terror, dread”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂egʰ- (“to be upset, afraid”). Displaced native Middle English eye, eyȝe, ayȝe, eȝȝe, from Old English ege, æge (“fear, terror, dread”), from the same Proto-Germanic root.

## Easily confused with
- **AZ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-az)
- **ay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-ay)
- **ax** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-ax)
- **aye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-aye)
- **axe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-axe)
- **aww** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-aww)
- **AWS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-aws)
- **ayr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-ayr)
- **Ayn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-ayn)
- **aya** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-aya)
- **axle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-axle)
- **axes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-axes)
- **axel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-axel)
- **awry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-awry)
- **axed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-axed)
- **Ayer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-ayer)
- **AWOL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-awol)
- **awed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-awed)
- **awoke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-awoke)
- **oar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/awe-vs-oar)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/awe