avo

¹ American  

[a-voh, ah-voh] / ˈæ voʊ, ˈɑ voʊ /

noun

Informal.

1. avocado.

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avo ² American  

[ah-voo] / ˈɑ vu /

noun

plural

avos

1. a money of account of Macao, one 100th of a pataca.

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Etymology

Origin of avo¹

First recorded in 2000–05; by shortening

Origin of avo²

First recorded in 1905–10; from Portuguese: literally, “trifle,” shortening of oitavo “eighth”; see octave

Example Sentences

Long before avo toast became obligatory on American brunch menus, it was big in Australia, where newspapers mentioned it as far back as 1929 and a Sydney cafe began serving it in the early 1990s.

From Washington Post • Nov. 3, 2021

It becomes as much about the toast as the avo, which is wrong.

From The Guardian • Aug. 16, 2019

But contemporary avo toast, Sydney-style avo toast, was popularised by Australian chef-restaurateur Bill Granger, whose early 90s version – toast, mashed avocado, lime, salt, chilli flakes – has since taken over the world.

From The Guardian • Aug. 16, 2019

The avo toast rocks charred corn and tomato salsa, the salmon and eggs come with roasted zucchini, and the stone fruit and fresh burrata salad is as good as summer gets.

From Washington Post • Aug. 14, 2019

It is probably a diminutive from the stem av, which Foerstemann refers to Goth. avo, in the probable sense of ancestor.

From Surnames as a Science by Ferguson, Robert