What does weewee mean?
Weewee is an informal English word used as both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it can refer to the act of urinating or to urine itself; as a verb, it means to urinate. The word is especially associated with children's language and family conversation, where it offers a playful euphemism for an ordinary bodily function. Adults also use it for comic effect or as a mildly dismissive label for childish behavior. It appears in both British and American English and is often written with a hyphen as "wee-wee." The word is not suitable for formal prose, though it can sound affectionate when used with or about a child. It should not be confused with the unrelated word "wee," an informal adjective meaning very small. Although countable plural forms are possible, singular constructions such as "go weewee" and "have a weewee" are much more usual.
An act of urinating, or urine itself.
"The nurse noticed that the child needed a weewee."
Usually informal and often used in child-directed or humorous contexts.
To urinate.
"The dog went outside to weewee."
Normally intransitive and informal.
The plural is grammatically possible but uncommon; singular constructions are more usual.
"The teacher jokingly counted three weewees before the trip ended."
Weewee is a classic example of a child's euphemism for a bodily need that adults also borrow for comic understatement.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of weewee
Weewee is commonly analyzed as a reduplication of "wee," the informal northern British and Scottish word for "small" or "little," a term ultimately derived from Old Norse. Repetition helped give the word its characteristically playful, child-directed form and its development as a euphemism for urinating. Related diminutive forms include "weeny" and "wienie," although the precise details of weewee's immediate development are less certain.
Related word forms
How weewee is actually used
Weewee is informal and often associated with children's speech, although adults commonly use it with a humorous or dismissive tone. The spelling "wee-wee" is also common.
Easily confused with weewee
Weewee means to urinate or urine, whereas wee is an informal adjective meaning very small.