au
1 synonym for au, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A vowel sign used in Indic abugida scripts.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Etymology
Borrowed either from Cantonese 歐／欧 (ou1) or 區／区 (ou1) (a doublet of Ao), or from German Au.
Full origin of au →Frequently asked questions
What does “au” mean?
The word “au” means a vowel found in Indic abugidas.
What part of speech is “au”?
Depending on how it is used, “au” can be a noun and a name.
Where does the word “au” come from?
The word “au” comes from German. Borrowed from Cantonese 歐／欧 (ou1) or 區／区 (ou1) (Doublet of Ao), or from German Au.
Is “au” a common word?
“Au” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “au” have?
“Au” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a vowel found in Indic abugidas.
What is the Au language?
Au is a language spoken in Sandaun Province, in northwestern Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea is home to hundreds of languages, and Au is one of the many spoken by communities in that region.
What is the au vowel in Indic scripts?
In Indic abugidas, writing systems in which each consonant letter carries an inherent vowel that added marks can change, au is one of the vowels. In scripts such as Devanagari it can be written either as an independent letter or as a vowel sign attached to a consonant.
Is au the same as Au or AU?
No, capitalization changes the meaning. As a dictionary entry, au is a vowel in Indic scripts, a language of Papua New Guinea, and a surname; Au with a capital A is the chemical symbol for gold, and AU in full capitals commonly abbreviates the African Union or the astronomical unit.
