First published 1898; not fully revised More entries for ho
Factsheet
What does the word ho mean?
There are eight meanings listed in OED's entry for the word ho. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
Entry status
OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.
How common is the word ho?
About 3occurrences per million words in modern written English
See frequency
How is the word ho pronounced?
British English
/həʊ/
hoh
U.S. English
/hoʊ/
hoh
See pronunciation
Where does the word ho come from?
Earliest known use
Middle English
The earliest known use of the word ho is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).
OED's earliest evidence for ho is from before 1400, in Cursor Mundi: a Northumbrian poem of the 14th century.
ho is an imitative or expressive formation.
See etymology
Nearby entries
- H.O., n.1942–
- ho, n.¹Old English–1300
- 1840–
- Ho, n.⁵1879–
- Ho, n.⁶1890–
- ho, n.⁷1964–
- ho, v.¹1377–
- ho, v.²1390–1525
- ho, v.³1787–
- ho, v.⁴1972–
- ho, int.¹ & n.²a1400–
- c1374–
- ho, int.³
- Hoabinhian, adj.1942–
- hoaching, adj.1797–
- Hoadlyism, n.1800–
- hoagie, n.1967–
- Hoa Hao, n.1955–
- hoaming, adj.1670–94
- Old English–
- hoar, v.Old English–1750
Browse more nearby entries
Etymology
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
View our subscription options
Personal account
- Access or purchase personal subscriptions
- Get our newsletter
- Save searches
- Set display preferences
Sign in Register
Institutional access
Sign in through your institution
Sign in with library card
Sign in with username / password
Recommend to your librarian
Institutional account management
Meaning & use
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
View our subscription options
Personal account
- Access or purchase personal subscriptions
- Get our newsletter
- Save searches
- Set display preferences
Sign in Register
Institutional access
Sign in through your institution
Sign in with library card
Sign in with username / password
Recommend to your librarian
Institutional account management
Pronunciation
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
View our subscription options
Personal account
- Access or purchase personal subscriptions
- Get our newsletter
- Save searches
- Set display preferences
Sign in Register
Institutional access
Sign in through your institution
Sign in with library card
Sign in with username / password
Recommend to your librarian
Institutional account management
Forms
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
View our subscription options
Personal account
- Access or purchase personal subscriptions
- Get our newsletter
- Save searches
- Set display preferences
Sign in Register
Institutional access
Sign in through your institution
Sign in with library card
Sign in with username / password
Recommend to your librarian
Institutional account management
Frequency
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
View our subscription options
Personal account
- Access or purchase personal subscriptions
- Get our newsletter
- Save searches
- Set display preferences
Sign in Register
Institutional access
Sign in through your institution
Sign in with library card
Sign in with username / password
Recommend to your librarian
Institutional account management
Compounds & derived words
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
View our subscription options
Personal account
- Access or purchase personal subscriptions
- Get our newsletter
- Save searches
- Set display preferences
Sign in Register
Institutional access
Sign in through your institution
Sign in with library card
Sign in with username / password
Recommend to your librarian
