Doh
/doʊ/noun
An interjection expressing sudden realization, dismay, or frustration, and a variant spelling of the musical syllable do.
Did you know?The exclamation became globally famous through Homer Simpson, while the musical form doh traces back to solfège and the syllable do, which replaced the older ut.
Etymological Timeline
11th Century
Medieval Latin
ut
“The original first syllable of the solfège system, taken from a hymn to Saint John the Baptist.”
17th Century
Italian
do
“A replacement for ut in musical solfège; its origin is commonly linked either to the surname of music theorist Giovanni Battista Doni or to Latin Dominus, meaning “Lord.””
19th Century
English
doh
“An English spelling of the musical syllable do, especially in singing instruction.”
1980s
American English
doh
“An informal exclamation of frustration or sudden realization, popularized by The Simpsons.”
Modern English
English
doh
“A humorous exclamation and an accepted variant spelling of the solfège note do.”