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noun

OE

oh
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OE (noun) means a small island, especially in Scandinavian place names. Example: “The map showed a scattering of tiny oes off the Danish coast.”

noun
1
A small island, especially in Scandinavian place names.
"The map showed a scattering of tiny oes off the Danish coast."
verb
1
To hold more than one job at the same time (short for "overemployed").
"18 months. Most people advise to OE when you're an expert at your field. I can get J1s work out of the way with 6 hours of aggressive concentration weekly. J2 is a bit hard, new territory but I'm making it work." — u/Evening-Mousse-1812, How long did you work to gain experience before trying OE? (2023)
"He's been quietly oe-ing for the past year, juggling two remote jobs."
"Before that, I was at a company where I could have easily OEed but didn't because it didn't even cross my mind." — u/computerjunkie7410, Piece of advice you WISHED you had prior to starting OE ? (2023)

How to use OE

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a small island (older, place-name use) or slang for secretly working two jobs at once (newer, internet use).

When to use it

The job sense is internet slang, mainly seen in forums about remote work.

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Word forms

Plural
oes
Third person singular
OEs
Past tense
OEed
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The map showed a scattering of tiny _____ off the Danish coast.

Etymology

The island sense comes from Old Norse/Scandinavian words for "island" (compare Swedish ö, Danish ø); the "overemployed" sense is a modern internet coinage.

Origin: Old Norse

Rhymes for OE

See all rhymes for OE →

Frequently asked questions

What does “OE” mean?
The word “OE” means a small island, especially in Scandinavian place names. In plain terms, either a small island (older, place-name use) or slang for secretly working two jobs at once (newer, internet use).
How do you pronounce “OE”?
“OE” is pronounced oh (/oʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “OE” in a sentence?
Here is “OE” used in a sentence: “The map showed a scattering of tiny oes off the Danish coast.”
What part of speech is “OE”?
Depending on how it is used, “OE” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “OE” come from?
The word “OE” comes from Old Norse. The island sense comes from Old Norse/Scandinavian words for "island" (compare Swedish ö, Danish ø); the "overemployed" sense is a modern internet coinage.
How many meanings does “OE” have?
“OE” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small island, especially in Scandinavian place names.

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