Funny Words Starting with ‘O’
Once upon an ordinary day, our obsession with the overtly ordinary letter ‘O’ became an opportunity to offer an outlandish ode to oddities. Overflowing with options, one ought to observe these outstanding ‘O’ words that often oscillate between odd and outright out-of-this-world.
Table of Contents
Octothorpe
“Octothorpe,” an obscure old name for the omnipresent ‘#’ symbol. Originally an operator’s ornament, it’s now an online obsession, outpacing the ordinary dash in hashtags.
Example: Oliver optimistically octothorped his online order, hoping his hashtag #OctothorpeObsession would outperform others.
Oomph
“Oomph” is an onomatopoeic outcry that often implies a blend of oozing appeal and oodles of energy. It’s the oral equivalent of an energetic orchestra in overdrive.
Example: The ostrich offered such an oomph when outrunning an otter, observers were overwhelmed.
Oxter
“Oxter” is an old-word oddity for ‘armpit’, an obscure term that oddly enough, sounds exactly where it ought to be placed.
Example: Ophelia’s oxter ordeal became obvious after an overambitious attempt at overhead Olympic lifting.
Onomatopoeia
“Onomatopoeia,” an outstandingly odd term that literally outputs the occurrence it describes, like ‘buzz’ or ‘click’.
Example: Oscar’s obsession with onomatopoeia was obvious when he ordered his parrot to only utter ‘oink’, ‘meow’, or ‘moo’.
Obfuscate
To “obfuscate” is to obscure one’s understanding with overly ornate or oblique language. It’s the occupational hazard of obnoxious orators.
Example: Ollie’s oration was so obfuscated, observers offered him an ovation out of sheer obligation to overcome the awkwardness.
Orotund
“Orotund” refers to a powerful, round sound in speech, often overly ornate. It’s an odd choice for those opting for a simple ‘loud’ or ‘resonant’.
Example: The orator’s orotund oration on oysters was oddly ostentatious.
Osculate
“Osculate” is an overly ornate word for a simple smooch or kiss. It’s an ostensibly out-of-date option for the ordinary ‘peck’.
Example: Oswald attempted to osculate Ophelia’s hand, only to awkwardly clip her outer thumb.
Ornery
“Ornery” is used to describe someone who is regularly difficult to deal with, often cranky or stubborn – the kind of person who’d object to an otter’s opera.
Example: The ornery old ostrich was off-putting, openly objecting to others’ opinions on omelets.
Oubliette
An “oubliette” is an underground dungeon, once occupied by those outcast from society. It’s an oddly specific word that oddly rolls off the tongue.
Example: The ogre’s oubliette was oddly outfitted with opulent ornaments and an oversized ottoman.
Olfactory
“Olfactory” pertains to the sense of smell, an organ’s operation often overlooked but overwhelmingly important for odors.
Example: Oswald’s olfactory organ was outraged by the overpowering odor of overripe oranges.
Offal
“Offal” refers to the organs and entrails of a butchered animal, often offered as an oddity on out-of-the-way menus.
Example: The otter’s offal offerings were only outdone by the opossum’s outstanding onion omelet.
Oggle
To “oggle” is to stare openly and often with obnoxious intent, usually at something or someone that’s oddly compelling.
Example: The onlookers oggled the octogenarian’s ostentatious outfits at the opera.
Obdurate
“Obdurate” describes one who is stubbornly resistant to change, an old-fashioned oddball who objects to anything out of the ordinary.
Example: The obdurate ostrich’s outright objection to online orders was an ongoing ordeal.
Objurgate
To “objurgate” is to sharply criticize or scold, an odd term that one might use to outdo others in a verbal onslaught.
Example: The obstinate owl objurgated the otter for its overtly optimistic outlook on the outcome of the oyster opening competition.
Oeuvre
“Oeuvre” is a term that encompasses the entirety of an artist’s work, a highfalutin way to outline one’s artistic output.
Example: Oswald’s oeuvre of origami otters was overwhelmingly ornate and obtusely oversized.
Olfactophobia
“O”Olfactophobia” refers to the fear of smells, an oddly specific anxiety that can make an ordinary walk outdoors an overwhelming ordeal.
Example: Olivia’s olfactophobia was so overpowering, even the odor of orchids could trigger an over-the-top outcry.
Overmorrow
“Overmorrow” is the word for the day after tomorrow, an oddly overlooked term that optimizes our language with one word instead of three.
Example: “I’ll finish my overview of outlandish ‘O’ words overmorrow,” Owen offered optimistically.
Oxymoron
An “oxymoron” is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms appear in conjunction, like ‘jumbo shrimp’ or ‘deafening silence’.
Example: “Open secret” is an oxymoron that often omits the obviousness of its own contradiction.
Oyez
“Oyez” is an old call to grab attention, often heard in courts. It’s an odd way to say “Hear ye!” but with an ‘O’ and pizzazz.
Example: “Oyez, oyez, the oddball ‘O’ word oration is officially open,” the orator announced, outstretching his arms.
Oligopoly
An “oligopoly” is a market structure with few sellers, each one with overbearing influence. It’s economy speak for “only a few own all.”
Example: The octopus overlords operated an oligopoly in the ocean’s ink industry.
Oenophile
An “oenophile” is a wine lover, a person with a passion for the fermented fruit that often ends in oenological outings.
Example: Oswald the oenophile’s outstanding cellar overflowed with obscure organic options.
Onychophagia
“Onychophagia” is the medical term for nail-biting, an odd habit that often indicates one’s overwhelming anxiety or boredom.
Example: Oscar’s onychophagia was out of hand, often occurring while obsessing over onerous office operations.
Outré
“Outré” describes something bizarre, unconventional, or outlandish, often used to outshine plain old ‘weird’.
Example: The owl’s outré attire at the outdoor concert outshone even the most outlandish of outfits.
Ossify
To “ossify” is to become rigid, hard, or inflexible, literally or metaphorically. It’s what happens to opinions over time or bones in brine.
Example: Oliver’s ossified opinions on omelets were an ongoing obstacle in the online food forum.
Final Thoughts
And so our odyssey of ‘O’ words comes to an outlandish end, overflowing with opportunities to outdo our ordinary vocabulary. One ought to step outside one’s comfort zone and opt for these out-of-the-box options. Only then can we outwit, outplay, and outlast our ordinary linguistic limitations, offering our conversations an ounce of originality.
