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wannabe - 3 dictionary results

wan⋅na⋅be

  [won-uh-bee, waw-nuh‑]
Use wannabe in a Sentence
–noun, plural -bes. Informal.
one who aspires, often vainly, to emulate another's success or attain eminence in some area.
Origin:
1980–85; der. of (I) wanna be…
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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wan·na·be also wan·na·bee   (wŏn'ə-bē', wôn'-)   
n.  
  1. One who aspires to a role or position.
  2. One who imitates the behavior, customs, or dress of an admired person or group.
  3. A product designed to imitate the qualities or characteristics of something.
adj.  Wishing or aspiring to be; would-be.

[Alteration of want to be.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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wannabe 
1981, originally Amer.Eng. surfer slang, from casual pronunciation of want to be; popularized c.1984 in reference to female fans of pop singer Madonna.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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