Ah

Part of speech: interjection

Definitions

1. An interjection spoken to show a sudden feeling, such as surprise, understanding, pleasure, or sympathy
2. A short exclamation people make to signal that they have just realized something or are moved by an emotion
3. An utterance expressing a mood or reaction, such as sudden comprehension, delight, or gentle sorrow

Etymology: In the Ormulum, a religious poem written around 1175, a speaker cries out, "Ah, Master! I know for sure that thou art God's Son." That is one of the earliest recorded uses, and the sound is probably older still. Old English had "ēa," meaning "oh, alas," and the Middle English form may descend from it. The exclamation may also simply imitate a sigh or a gasp. Some scholars have suggested that Old French "a," which also meant "oh" or "hey," was the source. Relatives appear across Germanic speech, including Dutch "a," German "ah," and Icelandic "æ." Latin had its own "ah," too.

Synonyms: oh, aha, ahh