oïl

See also oil, and òil

Old French

Etymology

A contraction of o il, from Vulgar Latin *hoc ille (“thus he...”), or perhaps rather hoc illud est, an elliptical phrase of response, by semantic erosion.

Cognate to Occitan òc, where the connection to Latin hoc is clearer.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /o.il/

Adverb

oïl

1. yes

Interjection

oïl

1. yes
   • circa 1170, Chrétien de Troyes, Érec et Énide:

     "Oïl, mout m'an sovient il bien.
     Seneschaus, savez vos an rien?

     Yes, I remember it well

     Seneschal, do you know anything about it?

Descendants

• French: oui