Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

oss

/ɒs/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.98 in modern English

Syllables: oss
IPA: /ɒs/

3

Scrabble Score

3

Letters

1

Syllables

2

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Initialism of open-source software.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Initialism of out-of-school suspension.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Initialism of operations/operational support system.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Initialism of over-the-shoulder shot.

Countable; Uncountable

name

Initialism of Office of Strategic Services (a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II).

verb

To set about, or intend be inclined to set about (doing something).

verb

To offer (to do something).

noun

Alternative spelling of 'oss.

Example Sentences

"JENNET. [...] Soa yee see Ise ossin towart hausekeepin. SARAH. Whya nowt but weel. Wees nit hev the weddin an kirsenin at yaa time, that's a cumfort. JENNET. Hed Sammy ivver offerd onny thing that's mismannerd to me, awr courtship wod sean hae[…]"
""Dun you know if the glasses is ossing to sattle?""
"Eh, Mary, w'ereta for? / O'm ossin' t' goo t' Eccles"
"Aw'm ossin t' goo t' Buxton"
"I told you to do so and so, but you dunna oss to do it."
"... but he didn't oss for t' goo any ner."

Etymology

Unclear. Middle English ōssen had a rather different meaning, "to reveal, to prophesy", but the OED suggests it could nonetheless be the same verb. The origin of the Middle English verb is itself obscure, but it may be a variant of halsen, from Old English hālsian, although this too had a rather different meaning, "to beseech, entreat; to exorcise; to imprecate".

Origin

Source language: Dutch

Word Breakdown

Root: Oss

Regional Pronunciation

British English: /ɒs/

Usage

Inflected Forms

OSSes (plural) OSS's (plural) OSSs (plural)

Frequently Paired Words

FLOSS FOSS COSS

Rhymes With

across loss cross sauce cos toss moss dos gloss mos lacrosse ros

Questions

How do you pronounce oss?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɒs/.
What does oss mean?: Initialism of open-source software.
Where does oss come from?: It is traced to Dutch.

How to pronounce oss

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