ኦ

ኦ U+12A6, ኦ ETHIOPIC SYLLABLE GLOTTAL O ← እ [U+12A5] Ethiopic ኧ → [U+12A7]

Translingual

Etymology

Modified form of አ (ʾ).

Letter

ኦ (ʾo)

1. A symbol of the Ge'ez abugida, transliterated as ʾo.

Ge'ez

Etymology 1

The etymology of this word is not given in any lexicon. Compare with Syriac ܐܘّ (ʔō, “o, oh”). Perhaps borrowed from Greek ὦ (ô), either directly or through Syriac ܐܘّ.

Interjection

ኦ • (ʾo)

1. Interjection expressing pain, threat, wonder, or admiration
2. The vocative marker, which may stand alone from, be prefixed, or suffixed to one or more words in an exclamation.

References

• Dillmann, August (1865) “ኦ”, in Lexicon linguae aethiopicae cum indice latino (in Latin), Leipzig: T. O. Weigel
• Leslau, Wolf (1991) “ʾo I”, in Comparative Dictionary of Geʿez (Classical Ethiopic), 2nd edition, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, →ISBN, page 1b

Etymology 2

Rendering of Greek ὦ (ô).

References

• Dillmann, August (1865) “ኦ”, in Lexicon linguae aethiopicae cum indice latino (in Latin), Leipzig: T. O. Weigel
• Leslau, Wolf (1991) “ʾo II”, in Comparative Dictionary of Geʿez (Classical Ethiopic), 2nd edition, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, →ISBN, page 1b