Jo
/dʒoʊ/noun
A Scottish or northern English term meaning a sweetheart, dear person, or beloved companion.
Did you know?The word is probably a shortened form of “joy,” making “my jo” essentially an old-fashioned way of calling someone “my joy,” though the connection is not completely certain.
Etymological Timeline
Latin, Classical period
Latin
iocus
“A joke, jest, game, or playful word; the proposed deeper source behind the joy-related family.”
Old French, 11th–12th Century
Old French
joie
“Joy, delight, or gladness.”
Middle English, 12th–15th Century
Middle English
joye
“Joy, happiness, or delight.”
Scots, 18th–19th Century
Scots
jo
“A sweetheart, darling, or beloved person; probably a shortened form related to “joy,” though the origin is uncertain.”
Modern English
English
jo
“A chiefly Scottish or northern English term for a sweetheart or dear person; also used as a personal name and in the martial-arts loanword “jō.””