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adv Common

Mo

MOH

Mo (adv) means informal shortening of "moment"; used in phrases like "half a mo" or "wait a mo.". Example: “Hang on a mo, I'll be right there.”

adv
1
Informal shortening of "moment"; used in phrases like "half a mo" or "wait a mo."
"Hang on a mo, I'll be right there."
noun
1
Informal word for a moustache, chiefly in Australian and British English.
"He grew a mo for charity in November."

How to use Mo

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishCasual short form of "moment" (wait a mo) or, separately, slang for "moustache."

When to use it

Very informal — mainly spoken British/Australian English.

Common pairings
half a mo grow a mo

Word forms

mos plural, mos plural, mos plural, mos plural

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Test yourself on “Mo” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Hang on a _____, I'll be right there.

Etymology

Transliteration of Chinese 莫 (mò).

Origin: Chinese

Related words

Frequently asked questions

What does “Mo” mean?

The word “Mo” means informal shortening of "moment"; used in phrases like "half a mo" or "wait a mo.". In plain terms, casual short form of "moment" (wait a mo) or, separately, slang for "moustache.".

How do you pronounce “Mo”?

“Mo” is pronounced MOH (/ˈməʊ/ in IPA).

How do you use “Mo” in a sentence?

Here is “Mo” used in a sentence: “Hang on a mo, I'll be right there.”

What part of speech is “Mo”?

Depending on how it is used, “Mo” can be an adverb and a noun.

Is “Mo” a common word?

“Mo” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “Mo” have?

“Mo” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: informal shortening of "moment"; used in phrases like "half a mo" or "wait a mo.".

What is the difference between "a mo" and "a sec"?

Both are informal ways of asking for a very short amount of time. Mo is a clipping of "moment" and is heard chiefly in British English, while sec clips "second" and is common everywhere. In practice they are interchangeable: "give me a mo" and "give me a sec" mean the same thing.

Why is a moustache called a mo?

Mo is simply an informal shortening of "moustache," used chiefly in Australian and British English. You might hear someone say a man is "growing a mo" for charity.

Is mo acceptable in formal writing?

No — both senses of mo are informal. In formal writing, use "moment" for the time sense and "moustache" for the facial-hair sense; keep mo for casual speech, texts, and chatty writing.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial · etymology from Wiktionary