Oh
/oʊ/noun
An exclamation used to express surprise, pain, realization, or emphasis.
Did you know?Interjections like *oh* are so old and so basic to speech that they’re often considered direct vocal expressions rather than inherited dictionary words, which is why their history is hard to pin down.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
ō
“an exclamation of grief, lament, or emotional outcry”
Middle English
ME
o
“an exclamation used in calling, lamenting, or addressing”
Early Modern English
English
oh
“an exclamation expressing emotion, especially surprise or lament”
Modern English
English
oh
“an exclamation used to express surprise, pain, realization, or emphasis”