oni
/ˈoʊni/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.82 in modern English
3
Scrabble Score
3
Letters
1
Syllables
3
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A Japanese evil spirit or demon.
Example Sentences
- "ONI 鬼. Generic name for devils, the representation of which in art is quite a common feature. Onis have claws, a square head with two horns, sharp teeth, and malignant eyes surmounted by big eyebrows; occasionally they wear trousers of tiger skin."
- "Across the ocean, in Japan, there once lived curious creatures called Onis. Every Japanese boy and girl has heard of them, though one has not often been caught."
- ""That's no human being playing the instrument," he thought in amazement. "It can only be an oni or some such being.""
- "The standing Shoki holds with his left hand an oni on his leg."
- "This is actually a boy bishie in the form of an ogre. It's called an oni in Japanese. Onis have supernatural powers that can command the forces of nature such as wind (to create hurricanes) and lightning (to create thunderbolts)."
- "The oni are a diverse group of evil spirits who take on the form of humanoid creatures so that they can enjoy the pleasures and vices of the flesh."
Etymology
From Japanese 鬼 (oni).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: 鬼
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈoʊni/
- British English: /ˈəʊni/
Usage
- American usage