oooo

Definition(s) of “O”

o

abbreviation

pint. [ORIGIN: from Latin octarius.]

octavo.

off.

old.

only.

order.

Baseball out; outs.

o-

abbreviation [used in combination ] Chemistry

ortho- : o-xylene.

-o

suffix

forming chiefly informal or slang variants or derivatives such as righto, wino.

ORIGIN perhaps from oh 1 , reinforced by abbreviated forms such as hippo, photo.

-o-

suffix

used as the terminal vowel of combining forms : chemico- | : Gallo-.

ORIGIN from Greek.

USAGE The combining-form suffix -o- is often elided (that is, omitted) before a vowel, as in neuralgia (formed from neuro- + -algia).

O 1 |ō| (also o)

noun ( pl. Os or O's |ōz|)

1 the fifteenth letter of the alphabet.

denoting the next after N in a set of items, categories, etc.

a human blood type (in the ABO system) lacking both the A and B antigens. In blood transfusion, a person with blood of this group is a potential universal donor.

2 (also oh) zero (in a sequence of numerals, esp. when spoken).

3 a shape like that of a capital O; a circle.

O 2

abbreviation

Ocean.

(in prescriptions) a pint. [ORIGIN: from Latin octarius.]

octavo.

October.

Ohio.

old.

Ontario.

Oregon.

symbol

the chemical element oxygen.

O 3

exclamation

1 archaic spelling of oh 1 .

2 archaic used before a name in direct address, as in prayers and poetry : give peace in our time, O Lord.

ORIGIN natural exclamation: first recorded in Middle English .

oxygen |ˈäksəjən|

noun

a colorless, odorless reactive gas, the chemical element of atomic number 8 and the life-supporting component of the air. Oxygen forms about 20 percent of the earth's atmosphere, and is the most abundant element in the earth's crust, mainly in the form of oxides, silicates, and carbonates. (Symbol: O)

DERIVATIVES

oxygenous |äkˈsijənəs| adjective

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: from French (principe) oxygène ‘acidifying constituent’ (because at first it was held to be the essential component in the formation of acids).