Etymologically
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oh

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Pronunciation

Etymology

It is an exclamation, a variant of ô; the Grand Robert and the Petit Robert relate it to Latin oh, which, like Latin “ō”, expressed the most varied feelings.[2][3][4][5] Bloch and Wartburg call it onomatopoeic, with “ho” and “ô” as spellings used for different shades of meaning.[6][1] Middle French had “oho”, expressing surprise (1538).[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Molière's Les Précieuses ridicules (1659), doubled as oh ! oh !, marking surprise or giving force to a sentence.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Formerly written ho, the word has been entered under oh in the Académie dictionary since 1740.[2][3] It combines in oh là oh (1668, La Fontaine) and oh là là, and is used to hail someone, especially at sea (oh ! du canot !, 1903).[2][3] The compound holà dates from the 15th century (Charles d'Orléans).[6]

Timeline

  • 1538 – Middle French oho expressing surprise.[2]
  • 1659 – Oh ! oh ! in Molière.[2]
  • 1668 – Oh là oh in La Fontaine.[2]
  • 1740 – A separate entry oh in the Académie dictionary.[2]
  • 1903 – Oh ! du canot ! at sea.[2]

Meanings

Interjection

  1. Oh!, expressing surprise or admiration.[5][1]
  2. Strengthening the expression of a feeling: Oh ! quelle chance !, oh là là ![5]
  3. Used to hail someone: Oh ! du canot ![2][3]

Noun

  1. Des oh et des ah: exclamations.[5]

Word family

  • holà
  • ô
  • ohé
  • ho

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France