"Wat" is a variant of the English word "what" that is often used to express confusion or disgust, much like its better known acronym "WTF", short for "what the fuck." Although the term "wat" is most frequently used as an interjection without a question mark, it is sometimes used to caption reaction face images or peculiar images that would evoke similar responses.
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary , the interrogative word "what" stems from the Old English "Hwæt", an exclamation that roughly translates to "so." The term is also used in the opening line of Old English epic poem Beowolf: "Hwæt! We Gardena " || "in gear-dagum." ("So! The Spear-Danes in days gone by.")
One of the first relevant Urban Dictionary definitions was submitted by user Age on April 21st, 2003:
According to Encyclopedia Dramatica, colloquial use of the term "wat" originated from the Something Awful forums, specifically in the FYAD (F**k You and Die) sub-community. However, this notion has not been verified.
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