oy vey

English

Etymology

From Yiddish אוי וויי (oy vey, literally “oh woe”), from Middle High German ōwē, from ō + wē, the latter being from Old High German wē, from Proto-Germanic *wai, from Proto-Indo-European *wai. Cognate with German o weh, Dutch oh wee, Latin vae, and Esperanto ho ve.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɔɪ̯ veɪ̯/
  • Rhymes: -eɪ

Interjection

oy vey

  1. (slang, ascribed to Jewish people, potentially offensive) oh dear

Usage notes

  • Sometimes used by anti-Semites to ridicule stereotypical (Ashkenazi) Jews; may as such be perceived as offensive when used by non-Jews.

Translations

See also

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