An exclamation you make when you're relieved, hot, tired, or amazed.
An imitative word that developed from the sound of a long exhale or whistle. It has been used since at least the 1600s to express relief or exhaustion.
Interjections like 'whew' are some of the oldest sounds in human language because they directly mimic the emotions our bodies make—you literally whistle through your teeth when relieved, and the word is just spelling that real sound.
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