the twenty-third letter of the english alphabet, is usually a consonant, but sometimes it is a vowel, forming the second element of certain diphthongs, as in few, how. it takes its written form and its name from the repetition of a v, this being the original form of the roman capital letter which we call u. etymologically it is most related to v and u.  see v, and u. some of the uneducated classes in england, especially in london, confuse w and v, substituting the one for the other, as weal for veal, and veal for weal; wine for vine, and vine for wine, etc.  see guide to pronunciation, // 266-268.