oh French · revision 16324
18 Oct 2026, 05:36 by bogdan “French entries batch 8 (fr10k): tuer, oh, beaucoup, monsieur, donc” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=onomatopoeia|attested=1659, Molière, Les Précieuses ridicules}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /o/^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is an exclamation, a variant of [[ô]]; the Grand Robert and the Petit Robert relate it to [[la|oh]], which, like Latin “ō”, expressed the most varied feelings.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007) Bloch and Wartburg call it onomatopoeic, with “ho” and “ô” as spellings used for different shades of meaning.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary) Middle French had “oho”, expressing surprise (1538).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)
+
+ ==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.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ Formerly written ''ho'', the word has been entered under ''oh'' in the Académie dictionary since 1740.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) 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).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The compound [[holà]] dates from the 15th century (Charles d'Orléans).^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 1538 – Middle French ''oho'' expressing surprise.^(TLFi)
+ * 1659 – ''Oh ! oh !'' in Molière.^(TLFi)
+ * 1668 – ''Oh là oh'' in La Fontaine.^(TLFi)
+ * 1740 – A separate entry ''oh'' in the Académie dictionary.^(TLFi)
+ * 1903 – ''Oh ! du canot !'' at sea.^(TLFi)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Interjection===
+ # [[m|en|oh|alt=Oh]]!, expressing surprise or admiration.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)
+ # Strengthening the expression of a feeling: ''Oh ! quelle chance !'', ''oh là là !''^(Petit Robert 2007)
+ # Used to hail someone: ''Oh ! du canot !''^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)
+
+ ===Noun===
+ # ''Des oh et des ah'': exclamations.^(Petit Robert 2007)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[holà]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[ô]]
+ * [[ohé]]
+ * [[ho]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}