oy

¹ American  

[oi] / ɔɪ /

Or oi

interjection

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

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oy ² American  

[oi] / ɔɪ /

Or oe

noun

Scot.

1. a grandchild.

2. Obsolete. a nephew or niece.

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Etymology

Origin of oy¹

Borrowed into English from Yiddish around 1890–95

Origin of oy²

1425–75; late Middle English (north and Scots ) o ( o ), oy ( e ) < Scots Gaelic ogha; see O'

Example Sentences

"The sea in front of Helsinki is too shallow," explains Timo Aaltonen, senior vice president of heating and cooling at Helen Oy, an energy firm.

From BBC

I ask why Helen Oy decided to install hundreds of megawatts of these boilers and Mr Aaltonen says that they are cheaper to install than heat pumps and having them also means he and colleagues don't have to rely entirely on the air, which is limited in terms of how much heat it can provide at scale.

From BBC

“OY Brian Williams is so awful,” columnist Amy Dickinson wrote on Bluesky.

From Salon

“Come here, Danieleh” means “Oy get over here you delicious thing I have such a hug for you!”

From Salon

“Oy yo yo yo yo yo yo,” said the superstar maestro Gustavo Dudamel, who was leading the rehearsal.

From New York Times