noun
Common
ou
OH-oo
Ou (noun) means a now probably extinct Hawaiian honeycreeper bird. Example: “Naturalists once heard the ou singing in the forests of Hawaii.”
noun
1
A now probably extinct Hawaiian honeycreeper bird.
"Naturalists once heard the ou singing in the forests of Hawaii."
"Only old drawings and a few museum skins show us what the ou looked like."
"The ou hasn't been reliably sighted in decades and is feared extinct."
2
South African slang for a man or guy.
"Do you know that ou who just walked in?"
"He's a good ou, always ready to help his neighbours."
"That ou over there is a mate of mine from school."
How to use ou
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a rare Hawaiian bird, or South African slang for "guy."
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like ou.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- ous, ouens
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Naturalists once heard the _____ singing in the forests of Hawaii.
Etymology
The bird name comes from Hawaiian ʻōʻū.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for ou
See all rhymes for ou →Frequently asked questions
What does “ou” mean?
The word “ou” means a now probably extinct Hawaiian honeycreeper bird. In plain terms, either a rare Hawaiian bird, or South African slang for "guy.".
How do you pronounce “ou”?
“Ou” is pronounced OH-oo (/ˈəʊ.uː/ in IPA).
How do you use “ou” in a sentence?
Here is “ou” used in a sentence: “The ou hasn't been reliably sighted in decades and is feared extinct.”
What part of speech is “ou”?
“Ou” is a noun.
Is “ou” a common word?
“Ou” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “ou” have?
“Ou” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a now probably extinct Hawaiian honeycreeper bird.
What is an ou in Hawaiian wildlife?
The ou is a Hawaiian honeycreeper bird that is now considered probably extinct. Hawaiian honeycreepers are a group of birds native to the Hawaiian Islands, many of which have declined severely or disappeared.
What does ou mean in South African slang?
In South African slang, ou is an informal term for a man or guy, similar to how "dude" or "bloke" is used in other varieties of English. It is casual and typically used in everyday conversation rather than formal writing.
Is ou used differently in Hawaii versus South Africa?
Yes, the two uses are unrelated: in Hawaii, ou names a now probably extinct honeycreeper bird, while in South African slang, ou informally refers to a man or guy. The identical spelling is a coincidence between two entirely separate linguistic traditions.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include ou:
