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modifier letter small w

Modifier Letter Small W

In phonetic transcription, ʷ marks labialization: your lips add a gesture—usually rounding—while you make the preceding sound. In [kʷ], it changes how you make the k; it does not automatically add a separate w.

Text symbol

Also called: superscript w
Search it as: IPA · labialization · w modifier · phonetic transcription · labialized consonant
Shows up in: Anything that takes text · its shape is whatever your font draws

What ʷ means

It changes how you make the sound before it.

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) writes ʷ after a sound to show this extra lip gesture. A superscript w after a consonant, as in [kʷ], means the k is made with that added lip action; it does not automatically add a separate w. It can follow a vowel too when the transcription marks accompanying lip rounding.

Technical phonetic notation, especially IPA and pronunciation guides; not ordinary spelling.

It modifies a neighboring sound; it is not a standalone w.

Don't confuse it with

Latin Small Letter W

It may look like a tiny w, but ordinary w is a full letter or sound; ʷ is a superscript that modifies a neighbor.

Questions people ask

Why is labialization marked below a letter?

Some specialist phonetic transcriptions use a combining inverted double arch below the sound: a mark attached to the letter rather than written alone. It marks labialization; ʷ is written in superscript after the sound.

How to type ʷ

Windows (Word)

Alt+XType 02B7, then Alt+X to get ʷ.

Windows

Win+Rrun charmap for the full table, or use the emoji picker's Ω symbols tab (Win + .).

macOS

Control+Command+SpaceOpen the character viewer and search “modifier letter small w”.

Linux

Ctrl+Shift+UType 02b7, then Enter or Space.

HTML

ʷ

CSS

\02B7

Codes and encoding1 code points

HTML decimal

HTML hex

CSS content

content: "\02B7";

Each escape is closed by the next backslash; a trailing space is needed before a literal hex digit.

URL encoded

%CA%B7

On screen

Code points

JS .length

UTF-8 bytes

A visible symbol can contain several code points. JS .length counts UTF-16 units; UTF-8 counts bytes.

Families this belongs to

Accents & marks659 symbols

^`¨¯´¸ʰ ʱ ʲ ʳ ʴ ʵ