ho

1
[ hoh ]

interjection
  1. (used as a call to attract attention, sometimes specially used after a word denoting a destination): Westward ho! Land ho!

  2. (used as an exclamation of surprise or delight.)

Origin of ho

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; a natural exclamation

Words Nearby ho

Other definitions for ho (2 of 7)

ho2
[ hoh ]

interjection
  1. (used as a command to a horse to stop.)

Origin of ho

2
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English ho, who, from Old French ho, and Old Norse hō; see also whoa

Other definitions for ho (3 of 7)

ho3

or hoe

[ hoh ]

noun,plural hos, hoes, ho's.Slang: Disparaging and Offensive.
  1. a sexually promiscuous woman.

  2. a prostitute; whore.

  1. a woman.

Origin of ho

3
First recorded in 1965–70; dialectal or African American Vernacular English pronunciation of whore

Other definitions for Ho (4 of 7)

Ho

Symbol, Chemistry.
  1. holmium.

Other definitions for HO (5 of 7)

HO
[ hoh ]

noun
  1. (in police use) habitual offender.

Other definitions for ho. (6 of 7)

ho.

abbreviation
  1. house.

Other definitions for H.O. (7 of 7)

H.O.

abbreviation
  1. Head Office; Home Office.

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

How to use ho in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ho (1 of 5)

ho1

/ (həʊ) /


interjection
  1. Also: ho-ho an imitation or representation of the sound of a deep laugh

  2. an exclamation used to attract attention, announce a destination, etc: what ho!; land ho!; westward ho!

Origin of ho

1
C13: of imitative origin; compare Old Norse hó, Old French ho! halt!

British Dictionary definitions for ho (2 of 5)

ho2

/ (həʊ) /


noun
  1. US Black slang a derogatory term for a woman

Origin of ho

2
C20: from Black or Southern US pronunciation of whore

British Dictionary definitions for Ho (3 of 5)

Ho

the chemical symbol for
  1. holmium

British Dictionary definitions for HO (4 of 5)

HO

abbreviation for
  1. head office

  2. British government Home Office

British Dictionary definitions for ho. (5 of 5)

ho.

abbreviation for
  1. house

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for Ho

Ho

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.