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.)

ho

²

[hoh]

interjection

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

ho

³

Or hoe

[hoh]

noun

Slang: Disparaging and Offensive.

plural

hos, hoes, ho's. 

1. a sexually promiscuous woman.

2. a prostitute; whore.

3. a woman.

Ho

⁴

Symbol, Chemistry.

1. holmium.

HO

⁵

[hoh]

noun

1. (in police use) habitual offender.

ho.

⁶

abbreviation

1. house.

H.O.

⁷

abbreviation

1. Head Office; Home Office.

HO

¹

abbreviation

1. head office

2. government Home Office

ho

²

/ 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!

Ho

³

symbol

1. holmium

ho

⁴

/ həʊ /

noun

1. slang:Black,  a derogatory term for a woman

ho.

⁵

abbreviation

1. house

Word History and Origins

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of HO¹

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

Origin of HO²

C20: from Black or Southern US pronunciation of _whore

Example Sentences

The synthy, hypnotic scores that became his signature in films like “Halloween” and “Escape from New York” not only outnumber his output as a director — he’s scored movies for several other filmmakers and recently made a handshake deal in public to score Bong Joon Ho’s next feature — but their influence and popularity are much more evident in 2025 than the style of his image-making.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Thales HO 1.37%increase; green up pointing triangle booked higher orders for the first nine months of the year, lifted by a growing defense business as Western nations seek to buttress their armies with missiles, ammunition and other military hardware.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

That vote followed the PCAOB’s own approval of its budget by 4 to 1, with board member Ho saying the requested increase was neither necessary nor justified.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, Ho and Fuller-Thomson analyzed 8,332 adults who did not initially meet the criteria for optimal well-being and followed up with them three years later, when all participants were at least 60 years old.

Read more on Science Daily

Judge James Ho, on the 5th Circuit, has suggested that the president should have the unlimited power to fire any civil servant that he wants.

Read more on Slate

When To Use

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