Donkey sound (3-3) Crossword Clue
Answer: HEEHAW (6 letters)
The answer to the crossword clue Donkey sound (3-3)" with 6 letters is "HEEHAW". Heehaw is the characteristic braying sound made by a donkey, often loud and distinctive. It is used to identify the animal by its vocalization and is commonly imitated in cartoons and literature to represent donkeys.
Why “Hee-Haw” Fits
The clue asks for a phrase (3-3) meaning “donkey sound.” The answer, HEE-HAW, fits exactly:
- Donkey sound: Hee-haw is the standard onomatopoeic representation of the braying noise made by a donkey.
- Direct match: With the enumeration (3-3), hee-haw fits the clue perfectly.
- Precise meaning: It is the universally recognized written form for this animal sound in English.
The word hee-haw represents sound imitation in English:
- Origin and usage: First recorded in the 17th century, it mimics the distinct rhythm of a donkey’s bray, which often rises (hee) and falls (haw).
- Cultural associations: Widely used in children’s books, nursery rhymes, farm stories, and as comic sound effects, reinforcing its recognition.
- Examples: “The donkey gave a loud hee-haw,” or “Children laughed at the donkey’s hee-haw.” Both illustrate the noise as the key identifier of the animal.
Quick crossword clues like “donkey sound (3-3)” depend heavily on onomatopoeia:
- Phonetic answers like hee-haw, oink-oink, bow-wow are common in clues about animals.
- The hyphenated structure (3-3) points unmistakably to a sound-based answer rather than a descriptive word like bray.
- As the most familiar and playful spelling of the donkey’s call, hee-haw is the natural and only fitting choice.
