oom

Etymology

Borrowed from Afrikaans oom. Doublet of eam and ohm.

Pronunciation

• (General South African) IPA^(key): /ʊəm/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /ʊm/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʊəm, -ʊm

Noun

oom (plural ooms)

1. (South Africa) An older man, especially an uncle. (Frequently as a respectful form of address.) [from 19th c.]
   • 1979, André Brink, A Dry White Season, Vintage, published 1998, page 73:

     He raised his glass. ‘Here's to you, Oom Ben,’ he said. ‘Give them hell.’

See also

Anagrams

• MOO, Moo, moo, omo-

Etymology

From Dutch oom, from Middle Dutch oom, from Old Dutch *ōm, from Proto-Germanic *awahaimaz (“maternal uncle”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /oəm/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

oom (plural ooms, diminutive oompie)

1. uncle

Etymology

From Middle Dutch oom, from Old Dutch *ōm, from Proto-West Germanic *auhaim (“maternal uncle”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /oːm/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: oom
• Rhymes: -oːm

Noun

oom m (plural ooms, diminutive oompje n)

1. uncle

   Synonym: (Belgium) nonkel

Etymology

From Old Dutch *ōm, from Proto-West Germanic *auhaim (“maternal uncle”).

Noun

ôom m

1. uncle, brother of one's parent (originally specifically one's mother)

Further reading

• “oom”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “oom”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔːm/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

oom

1. knee

Alternative forms

• (Campeche): oon

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /oːŋ/

Noun

oom

1. avocado