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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.)

ho 2 American  
[hoh] / hoʊ /

interjection

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

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.

Ho 4 American  
Symbol, Chemistry.

  1. holmium.

HO 5 American  
[hoh] / hoʊ /

noun

  1. (in police use) habitual offender.

ho. 6 American  

abbreviation

  1. house.

H.O. 7 American  

abbreviation

  1. Head Office; Home Office.

HO 1 British  

abbreviation

  1. head office

  2. government Home Office

"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
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!
"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
Ho 3 British  

symbol

  1. holmium

"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
ho 4 British  
/ həʊ /

noun

  1. slang:Black a derogatory term for a woman

"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
ho. 5 British  

abbreviation

  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

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Ho’mi. See you in thirty minutes. And refill your tea glass. My tea is on social media.”

From Literature

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

From Literature

The rapid growth of AI and its surging energy demand is "making nuclear really part of the solution set now," said Ho Nieh, chairman of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, at CERAWeek.

From Barron's

Judge James Ho, who ruled for Villarreal on the original panel, dissented from the majority.

From Slate

Tottenham boss Martin Ho conceded his side could do little to stop her, other than try to prevent the ball reaching her.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.