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-o

 - 2 dictionary results

-o

 
Use -o in a Sentence
1. a suffix occurring as the final element in informal shortenings of nouns (ammo; combo; condo; limo; promo); -o also forms nouns, usually derogatory, for persons or things exemplifying or associated with that specified by the base noun or adjective (cheapo; pinko; sicko; weirdo; wino).
2. a suffix occurring in colloquial noun or adjective derivatives, usually grammatically isolated, as in address: cheerio; kiddo; neato; righto.
Origin:
perh. orig. the interjection O, appended to words as in def. 2; as a derivational suffix reinforced by clipped forms of words with -o- as a linking element (e.g., photo, stereo ), by Rom nouns ending in o, and by personal nouns such as bimbo and bozo, of obscure orig.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To -o
-o  
suff.  Used to form an informal, abbreviated, or slang word or variant: ammo.

[Perhaps from oh1 and from shortenings such as hippo.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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