Oohs

/uːz/ noun, verb

Definition

Exclamations of surprise, delight, or wonder; also the plural noun or third-person singular verb form of 'ooh.'

Etymology

An exclamation of imitative origin, mimicking the sound humans make when expressing emotion. It emerged in English in the 16th century as an onomatopoeia, with 'aahs and oohs' becoming a standard phrase for audience reactions.

Kelly Says

The 'oohs and aahs' of a crowd are one of the few completely universal human sounds—every culture makes these expressions of surprise, which is why a viral video gets the same reaction whether viewers are in Tokyo or Toronto.

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