lo

¹ American  

[loh] / loʊ /

interjection

1. look! see! (frequently used in Biblical expressions; now usually used as an expression of surprise in the phraselo and behold ).

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lo ² American  

[loh] / loʊ /

adjective

1. an informal, simplified spelling of low, used especially in labeling or advertising commercial products.

   lo calorie.

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LO ³ American  

abbreviation

1. little one (used, especially by women, in digital communications to refer to one's infant or young child).

   We've been cloth diapering since my LO hit 10 pounds, about 6 months now.

2. loved one (used, especially by women, in digital communications to refer to one's romantic partner or spouse).

   I realized that my LO and I really didn't have much in common in terms of interests and basic values that could have held us together.

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LO ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. hello

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lo ² British  

/ ləʊ /

interjection

1. look! see! (now often in the phrase lo and behold )

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Etymology

Origin of lo¹

before 900; Middle English; conflation of lo exclamation of surprise, grief, or joy, O! ( Old English lā; see la ²) and lo, shortened form of loke ( Old English lōca ), imperative of loken to look

Origin of LO³

First recorded in 2000–05 LO for def. 1

Example Sentences

"And lo and behold, 12 hours later we had the rough version of this thing."

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

“Cuando lo sepa, vosotros lo sabréis. No lo sé. No tengo ni idea. Solo quiero vivir. Eso es todo”.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2026

He tells me, I try that, it works for me, and lo and behold when the race comes, I might beat him.

From BBC • Feb. 11, 2026

Corridos tumbados embody the biculturalism experienced by Mexican Americans, fusing lo de aquí with lo de allá.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026

He thought back to school, lo all those science classes.

From "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen