Ọyọ

See also: oyo, ōyō, óyo, and oyó

Yoruba

Etymology

Folk etymology states it comes from ọ̀- (nominalizing prefix) +‎ yọ́ (“to slide off”), literally “The place that we slide off of (in reference to the slipperiness of the ground)”.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔ̀.jɔ́/

Proper noun

Ọ̀yọ́

1. A Yoruba subethnic group who speaks the Ọ̀yọ́ dialect

   Synonym: Yorùbá (obsolete)

   • The Ọ̀yọ́ they were the first Yoruba speaking group to be referred to by the name "Yoruba"
2. a dialect of the Yoruba language spoken by the Ọ̀yọ́ people, it serves as the basis for the modern Standard Yoruba koine (Yorùbá Àjùmọ̀lò)
3. Oyo (a city in Nigeria), the modern city of Ọ̀yọ́ founded after the destruction of Ọ̀yọ́-Ilé

   Synonyms: Ọ̀yọ́ Àtíbà, Ọ̀yọ́ Tuntun

4. Oyo (a state of Nigeria)
5. (historical) Old Oyo, the capital of the Ọ̀yọ́ empire until its destruction during the Eleduwe War, (Ogun Elédùwẹ̀) in 1835

   Synonym: Ọ̀yọ́-Ilé

6. (historical) Oyo Empire

Derived terms

• Ọ̀yọ́-Ilé (“The ancient capital of the Ọ̀yọ́ empire”)
• Ọ̀yọ́mèsì (“A senior class of chiefs of the Ọ̀yọ́ empire that served as advisors to the Aláàfin”)

 

Descendants

• → Gun: Ayɔ̀