oom

See also: Oom and -oom

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Afrikaans oom. Doublet of eam.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʊəm/
• IPA^(key): /ʊm/

Noun

oom (plural ooms)

1. (South Africa) An older man, especially an uncle. (Frequently as a respectful form of address.) [from 19th c.]
   • 1979, André Brink, A Dry White Season, Vintage 1998, p. 73:

     He raised his glass. ‘Here's to you, Oom Ben,’ he said. ‘Give them hell.’

Anagrams

• MOO, Moo, moo, omo-

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Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch oom, from Middle Dutch oom, from Old Dutch *ōm, from Proto-Germanic *awahaimaz (“maternal uncle”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /oəm/

Noun

oom (plural ooms, diminutive oompie)

1. uncle

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Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch oom, from Old Dutch *ōm, from Proto-Germanic *awahaimaz (“maternal uncle”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /oːm/

• audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: oom
• Rhymes: -oːm

Noun

oom m (plural ooms, diminutive oompje n)

1. uncle

   Synonym: nonkel

Alternative forms

• noom
• ome

Derived terms

• heeroom
• oomschap
• oomzegger
• oudoom
• peetoom
• suikeroom

Descendants

• Afrikaans: oom
• → Indonesian: om
• → West Frisian: omme, omke
• → Sranan Tongo: omu

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Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch *ōm, from Proto-Germanic *awahaimaz (“maternal uncle”).

Noun

ôom m

1. uncle, brother of one's parent (originally specifically one's mother)

Inflection

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants

• Dutch: oom
  • Afrikaans: oom
  • → Indonesian: om
  • → West Frisian: omme, omke
  • → Sranan Tongo: omu
• Limburgish: oeam

Further reading

• “oom”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “oom”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN

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Wolof

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔːm/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

oom

1. knee