oy vey

[ oi-vey ]

interjectionYiddish.
  1. (used to express distress, exasperation, upset, alarm, etc., sometimes minor): Just had another session with my mom, planning my wedding—oy vey, she’s taking over!

Origin of oy vey

1
First recorded in 1910–15; from Yiddish oy vey “oh woe,” from oy oy1 + vey “woe”; see also woe

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use oy vey in a sentence