Bo

Part of speech: noun, interjection

Definitions

1. A sudden shouted exclamation meant to startle someone ; a casual, friendly name for a male friend or buddy
2. A loud cry uttered to surprise or frighten a person ; an informal word of address for a pal or companion
3. An exclamation shouted abruptly to make someone jump ; a chummy nickname used for a male acquaintance or mate

Etymology: The everyday sense, a casual term of address for a man or boy, is probably a clipped form of "boy," shortened to a single syllable and turned into a friendly nickname. Some accounts also treat the short, blunt sound itself as imitative, though the link to "boy" is the more widely cited explanation. The martial-arts sense, a long wooden staff, is a separate word with its own history. Its form is usually compared with the Chinese "bàng," meaning stick or club. That comparison is suggestive rather than a proven ancestry.

Synonyms: buddy, pal, friend