oy vey

interjection

\ ˈȯi-ˈvā

How to pronounce oy vey (audio)

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variants: or less commonly oy vay or oy veh

Definition of oy vey

—used to express dismay, frustration, or grief Mail! Oy veh, I get such mail. Such mail as I never dreamed of before the advent of the Internet.— Anne Bendheim

History and Etymology for oy vey

borrowed from Yiddish, from oy, interjection expressing surprise or dismay + vey, interjection expressing distress or grief, going back to Middle High German wē, going back to Old High German wah, wē, going back to Germanic *wai (whence Old English wā) — more at woe entry 1

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The first known use of oy vey was in 1914

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