Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

ab ovo

/æˈboʊˌvoʊ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 2.48 in modern English

Syllables: ab o-vo
IPA: /æˈboʊˌvoʊ/

10

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

2

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

From the beginning.

Example Sentences

"We should be led too far, nor would it possess sufficient interest for our readers, were we, in this place specially, to discuss this important and complicated question, and to show ab ovo why this notion has been rejected."

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin ab ōvō (literally “from the egg”).

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /æˈboʊˌvoʊ/

Frequently Paired Words

in medias res

Questions

How do you pronounce ab ovo?: The recorded pronunciation is /æˈboʊˌvoʊ/.
What does ab ovo mean?: From the beginning.
Where does ab ovo come from?: Learned borrowing from Latin ab ōvō (literally “from the egg”).

How to pronounce ab ovo

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “ab ovo”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/æˈboʊˌvoʊ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “ab ovo”.
Repeat and practice — Say “ab ovo” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.