ouch

UK: aʊtʃ | US: aʊtʃ

Definition

  1. interj. an exclamation expressing sudden pain or discomfort

Structure

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Etymology

"Ouch" is an onomatopoeic interjection imitating the sound of a sudden sharp pain. First recorded in English in the mid-19th century, it likely emerged naturally from vocal reactions to pain. Similar exclamations exist across languages (e.g., German "au," Spanish "ay"), suggesting a universal human sound response rather than a constructed word.

Examples

  1. "Ouch! I just stubbed my toe on the table."

  2. She yelled "Ouch!" when the needle pricked her finger.

  3. "Ouch, that criticism hurt more than I expected."

  4. The child cried "Ouch!" after falling off the swing.

  5. "Ouch, this coffee is too hot to drink right now."