Are you hanging out with your niece? If her mom leans in, tickles her tummy, and says, "I wuv you mu little girl," what are they saying? This post unpacks everything you need to know about the meaning and origin of this expression.
Wuv Meaning
The word "wuv" originates from baby speak, and it's a common word used by women when expressing their love for their partner, friend, child, pet, or a situation. It's a way of trying to be "cute" when expressing your love for something.
For instance, you could use the phrase when telling your boyfriend or partner that you love them or speaking to your pets to show your affection for the animals. You can use the phrase as a replacement for "I love you" or in other sentences where you would use love, such as "I wuv hugs," meaning "I love hugs."
It's a slang term you will only use in social situations; saying it around the office might make you appear childish. Typically, men won't use the phrase very often unless they are trying to be affectionate with their partner in an intimate moment when they have their guard down.
You probably won't find many men using the phrase in public, but you'll probably hear women use it all the time to describe their love or approval of a person or situation. You might see mothers looking into the baby stroller, pointing at their child with a big smile on their face while they say, "I wuv you my little baby, yes momma wuvs you so much."
Wuv Example Usage
"Awwww baby, you know I wuv you so much."
"I wuv u, my little bunny; you're my favorite pet of all."
"I wuv you."
Wuv Origin
Language experts are unsure when the word "wuv" officially appeared. "Wuv" is a form of baby talk, and it's thought that parents would use it when talking to their child, sometime in the mid-1900s.
No one knows when we started adapting baby speak to our language or why we use it. It seems like a childish way to speak, but we use it to connect with children and show them that we can be silly. It also suits use in situations where you're trying to appear vulnerable and emotional to someone else, like your partner.
The first know use of the word in media and entertainment comes from the combination of the baby speak words, "twu" (true) and "wuv" (love), meaning “true love.” The phrase appears in the movie, “the Princess Bride,” filmed in 1987, where one of the characters mentions the term in the film.
The phrase appeared in the Urban Dictionary for the first time in 2014, uploaded by the user, "helloimfromuranus" where it reads as follows.
"Demetris: I wuv you"
"Katie: Say it like you mean it"
Phrases Similar to Wuv
- Love.
Phrases Opposite to Wuv
- Hate.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Wuv
Ways People May Say Wuv Incorrectly
The word "wuv" is baby talk, and it's not suitable for professional use. You would only use this phrase around people you know, as others might think you sound childish. The term describes "love" for another person or animal, and using it for any other reason is the incorrect use of the word.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Wuv
You can use the word "wuv" whenever you're expressing love or affection to someone you know or a pet. The word only suits social use, and you'll be using it with people you care about or around friends. Typically, this phrase is used more often by women than men, and there are dozens of memes showing cute pets and animals, with the word "wuv" in the caption describing the animal's feeling to their owner.