olé

¹ American  

[oh-ley] / oʊˈleɪ /

interjection

1. (used as a shout of approval, triumph, or encouragement.)

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noun

1. a cry of “olé.”

ole- ² American  

1. variant of oleo- before a vowel.

   oleiferous.

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-ole ³ American  

1. a suffix found in French loanwords of Latin origin, usually diminutives, and later in adaptations of words borrowed directly from Latin or in New Latin coinages: centriole;

   areole;

   centriole;

   vacuole.

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-ole ⁴ American  

1. a suffix used in names of chemical compounds, especially five-membered, unsaturated rings (carbazole; indole; thiazole ) and, less systematically, aromatic ethers (anisole; safrole ).

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-ole ¹ British  

combining form

1. denoting an organic unsaturated compound containing a 5-membered ring

   thiazole

2. denoting an aromatic organic ether

   anisole

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olé ² British  

/ əʊˈleɪ /

interjection

1. an exclamation of approval or encouragement customary at bullfights, flamenco dancing, and other Spanish or Latin American events

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noun

1. a cry of olé

-ole ³ British  

suffix

1. indicating something small

   arteriole

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OLE ⁴ British  

abbreviation

1. object linking and embedding: a system for linking and embedding data, images, and programs from different sources

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Usage

What does olé mean? Olé is an exclamation of approval, encouragement, or victory. The unrelated word ole, without the accent mark over the e, is simply a version of the word old meant to imitate how it is sometimes pronounced.Olé, pronounced [ oh-LAY ], comes from Spanish and is often associated with its use during Spanish or Latin American events or activities, such as when it’s shouted by spectators during bullfights or certain dances. More recently, it has become a popular chant by fans at soccer (football) games, especially to mark a team’s victory.Ole (pronounced like old without the d) is colloquial, meaning it’s typically used in informal conversation. It’s especially used to intensify the meaning of another adjective that it’s paired with, as in Look at that big ole truck. It’s sometimes spelled ol’.Example: When I visited Spain, I finally got to see people chanting, "Olé!" in a big ole arena, just like in the movies!

Etymology

Origin of olé¹

First recorded in 1910–15; from Spanish ole, olé, from Arabic wa-llāh “and Allah,” from wa “and” + allāh “God, Allah”

Origin of -ole³

From French, from Latin -olus, -ola, -olum, variant of -ulus -ule with stems ending in a vowel

Origin of -ole⁴

< French < Latin oleum oil

Example Sentences

By the end of the set, she was on the receiving end of a supportive chant of "olé, olé, olé".

From BBC • Jun. 28, 2025

“Without her, none of this would have been possible,” Milei told the crowd that chanted “Olé, olé, boss, boss.”

From Seattle Times • Nov. 21, 2023

He got the fans out of their seats in the third game with spectacular hitting and an early break of serve; chants of “¡Olé, olé olé olé!” broke out between points.

From Washington Post • Sep. 11, 2022

As the taunting chants of olé, olé grew louder and echoed throughout the stadium each time Honduras completed a pass, the usually fleet-footed midfielder Atiba Hutchinson seemed to epitomize Canada's misfortune.

From New York Times • Oct. 17, 2012

Let's have a chorus of olé for the Irish Olympics!

From The Guardian • Jun. 6, 2012