English Explanatory Dictionary

-o

English dictionary entry

Meanings

suffix
  1. A vocative or exclamative particle appended to street cries, nautical calls, or names to project a hail or shout.
  2. A colloquializing suffix, typically appended to names, abbreviations of long words, or substantive uses of adjectives.
suffix
  1. Converts certain words to faux Italian or Spanish. Can be used with Spanish el for expressions such as el stinko.
suffix
  1. Added to verb stems to create a noun describing an error relating to the action described by the verb.

Pronunciation

/əʊ/ /əʉ/ [æ̠ʉ~ɐʉ] /oʊ/

Word forms

-o -os -oes more -o most -o -oh

Etymology

Originally a special use of the interjection O or oh appended to street cries and nautical calls to project a hail or shout (as in milk-oh, smoke-oh, and sail-ho). Its later use as a colloquializing noun suffix, particularly prominent in Australian English, developed from the substantivation of these cries (e.g., smoko), reinforced by early nautical adaptations of Mediterranean Lingua Franca or pseudo‐Spanish words (such as guardo). As noted by the Australian National Dictionary, this vocative “hailing” origin naturally led to its frequent attachment to personal names to form nicknames (e.g., John‐o, Jacko). Some senses may also derive from o (“one”), from Middle English o, oo, a variant of a, on, oon, an (“one”). See one and -y.

Related words

-ie -y

Derived words

agro aggro ambo ammo beano beardo boyo bucko cheapo combo commo convo daddy-o Davo distro doggo friendo hundo inspo journo kiddo lameo lardo lesbo litro neato parmo pinko posho preggo preso psycho rando resto righto sicko thicko thingo uggo wacko weirdo whammo wino wine-o yobbo arvo biffo bizzo bottlo compo deffo dero derro doco druggo favo fisho Freo garbo goodo
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