oi

[oi]

interjection

oy¹.

Oi

[oi]

noun

a type of punk rock featuring violent, racist lyrics, associated especially with skinheads.

Origin of Oi

First recorded in 1975–80; of disputed orig.

OI

opportunistic infection.

oy

or oi

[oi]

interjection

(used to express dismay, pain, annoyance, grief, etc.)

Origin of oy

Borrowed into English from Yiddish around 1890–95

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for oi

Contemporary Examples of oi

But Oi Town Assembly Chairman Kinya Shintani criticized the central government for its inconsistency.
How Do You Say "Dysfunction" in Japanese?
Noah Kristula-Green
April 5, 2012
Oi Mayor Shinobu Tokioka maintained a cautious stance, just saying, "I'm not in a position to comment."
How Do You Say "Dysfunction" in Japanese?
Noah Kristula-Green
April 5, 2012

Historical Examples of oi

Oi'm a 'and comb-maker, I sez, and the trade's bin killed this dozen years.
Recollections
David Christie Murray
Oi asked him where yo wur, an' he said ye'd gone out to see th' parade.
Frank Merriwell Down South
Burt L. Standish
Nivver a drame, me b'y, fer Oi wasn't aslape at all, at all.
Frank Merriwell Down South
Burt L. Standish
Oi'll swear to it, Frankie—Oi'll swear on a stack av Boibles.
Frank Merriwell Down South
Burt L. Standish
It's a bit av a walk we'd better take in th' open air, Oi think.
Frank Merriwell Down South
Burt L. Standish

British Dictionary definitions for oi

oi

interjection

British a cry used to attract attention, esp in an aggressive way

adjective

of or relating to a form of punk rock popular esp among skinheads in the late 1970s and 1980s

oi

noun plural oi

NZ another name for grey-faced petrel

Word Origin for oi

Māori

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

Word Origin and History for oi

1962, vulgar or working class pronunciation of hoy a call or shout to attract attention.

oy

Yiddish exclamation of dismay, 1892, American English. Extended form oy vey (1959) includes Yiddish vey, from German Weh "woe" (see woe).