ho

¹ American  

[hoh] / hoʊ /

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.)

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ho ² American  

[hoh] / hoʊ /

interjection

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

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ho ³ American  

[hoh] / hoʊ /

Or hoe

noun

Slang: Disparaging and Offensive.

plural

hos, hoes, ho's

1. a sexually promiscuous woman.

2. a prostitute; whore.

3. a woman.

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Ho ⁴ American  

Symbol, Chemistry.

1. holmium.

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HO ⁵ American  

[hoh] / hoʊ /

noun

1. (in police use) habitual offender.

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ho. ⁶ American  

abbreviation

1. house.

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H.O. ⁷ American  

abbreviation

1. Head Office; Home Office.

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HO ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. head office

2. government Home Office

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ho ² British  

/ 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!

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Ho ³ British  

symbol

1. holmium

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ho ⁴ British  

/ həʊ /

noun

1. slang:Black a derogatory term for a woman

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ho. ⁵ British  

abbreviation

1. house

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Usage

What does ho mean? Not to be confused with hoe (the gardening tool), a ho is an offensive term for a sex worker or a promiscuous woman. Some people use the term to insult women in general while some women have reclaimed the term. What are other forms of ho?hoe

Etymology

Origin of ho¹

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

Origin of ho²

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

Origin of ho³

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

Example Sentences

We can hear his booming “ho, ho, ho” now.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 26, 2025

Scott Camil talks about starting out anti-Communist and gung ho; he then came home from Vietnam, heard Jane Fonda speak and was transformed into an antiwar activist who publicly testified about atrocities he had committed.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 31, 2025

The mood fluctuates between ho ho ho and ho hum.

From New York Times • Nov. 27, 2024

They chanted: “Hey hey, ho ho, Intro 360 has got to go.”

From Slate • Jun. 17, 2024

“Oh, ho, ho!” he squealed, crimson eyes brightening.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman