: head, poll

pow

2 of 4

noun (2)

: a sound of a blow or explosion

POW

3 of 4

noun (3)

ˌpē-(ˌ)ō-ˈdə-bəl-(ˌ)yü How to pronounce POW (audio)
-bə-(ˌ)yü;
-ˈdəb-(ˌ)yü

POW

4 of 4

abbreviation

Powassan (virus)
According to a Center for Disease Control spokeswoman, POW virus can infect the central nervous system and cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord).Rick Murphy
There is no specific treatment, but people with severe POW virus illnesses often need to be hospitalized to receive respiratory support, intravenous fluids, or medications to reduce swelling in the brain.Kathryn Gallerani

Examples of pow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Members of tribal communities from all over Wisconsin play as background characters in the show, especially as dancers during a pow wow scene. Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 15 Jan. 2024 An average of 347 inches of snowfall throughout the season makes for deep, face shot-worthy pow. More than 100 acres of tree skiing. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 15 Nov. 2023 Rainey’s music merges pow wow with experimental electronic production. Dustin Nelson, SPIN, 1 Feb. 2024 Time to get your setup ready for that fresh pow. John Thompson, Men's Health, 7 Nov. 2022 That’s not counting the gratuitous glorified cameos (Pratt and the GotG gang) or the supporting turns that feel half-baked — why give a great actor like Thompson a great role like Valkyrie and then curiously give her little to do besides the occasional wink and pow? David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 July 2022 The band members pow-wow in a gymnasium, show up to a mock press conference and bust out some nimble dance moves in an elevator that will probably be difficult to replicate in a TikTok challenge. Bryan Rolli, Forbes, 21 May 2021 Hitting the question and pow blocks is addictive The Power-Up Band brings unprecedented levels of interaction to Super Nintendo World. Carly Caramanna, Chron, 6 Mar. 2023 Conversely, a helmet that’s too tight will be uncomfortable on long days in the pow and could even lead to headaches. Chris Meehan, Popular Mechanics, 27 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

alteration of poll

Noun (2)

imitative

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1500, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1580, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1918, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pow was circa 1500

Dictionary Entries Near pow

Cite this Entry

“Pow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pow. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

POW

abbreviation
Powassan (virus)
According to a Center for Disease Control spokeswoman, POW virus can infect the central nervous system and cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord).Rick Murphy
There is no specific treatment, but people with severe POW virus illnesses often need to be hospitalized to receive respiratory support, intravenous fluids, or medications to reduce swelling in the brain.Kathryn Gallerani

More from Merriam-Webster on pow

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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