yo

¹ American  

[yoh] / yoʊ /

interjection

1. (used as an exclamation to get someone's attention, express excitement, greet someone, etc.)

2. here; present: used especially in answer to a roll call.

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y.o. ² American  

abbreviation

1. year old; years old.

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yo British  

/ jəʊ /

1. an expression used as a greeting, to attract someone's attention, etc

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Usage

What is a basic definition of yo? Yo is an interjection that is used for getting someone’s attention, greeting someone, or expressing strong feelings. Yo is also used to mean “here” or “present,” as in response to a roll call.Yo is a very flexible interjection that is used similarly to hey. The specific meaning of yo depends on the context it is used in. Yo is most often used informally and wouldn’t be used in formal writing that isn’t quotes or dialogue.

• Real-life examples: You might greet a pal with a friendly “Yo!” Or you might try to get the attention of a distracted driver with an angry “Yo!”
• Used in a sentence: Yo, Teddy! How is it going? 

Yo is also used to mean “here” or “present,” especially in response to someone calling your name.

• Real-life examples: It might be too casual to say yo when your teacher reads your name during roll call, but your basketball coach probably won’t mind. And when someone asks who in a group wants pizza, you can definitely raise your hand and say “Yo!” to mean that you do.

Etymology

Origin of yo

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425

Example Sentences

“Yo brother, legal team confirmed that we can’t work with minors rn,” a Kalshi employee wrote to the user in messages reviewed by the Journal.

From The Wall Street Journal

“You should’ve heard the whispers me and Gabe had to ourselves walking out of the stadium tunnel, like, ‘Yo, is this really happening?!’”

From Los Angeles Times

This week, the party promoted Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un's powerful sister, to the role of propaganda minister.

From BBC

Parade photos of Kim Yo Jong, the dictator’s powerful younger sister, weren’t prominent.

From The Wall Street Journal

I want people to talk about comedy like, “Yo, Ali Siddiq is out of Houston, TX!”

From Los Angeles Times