ouch
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Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
ouch¹
- /aʊt͡ʃ/
Rhymes with -aʊtʃ
Where it comes from
Uncertain. Some sources say the interjection is attested since 1838 (and specifically in American English) and derives ultimately from German autsch, perhaps specifically via Pennsylvania German outch (“cry of pain”), as early attestations of the interjection are from Pennsylvania. However, others say the interjection is a "mere" or "natural" exclamation attested since the mid 1600s, and the 1933 OED cites one instance of a verb "ouch" in 1654, "Sancho Pancas Runs Ouching round the mountaine like a ranck-Asse".
interjection
- An expression of one's own physical pain. Ouch! You stepped on my toe! That hurt!
- An expression in sympathy at another's pain. Ouch! Her sunburn looks awful.
- A reply to an insult seen as savage (frequently one that is tongue-in-cheek or joking). Ouch. How could you say that?
- An expression of disappointment. Ouch, I really wanted to do that.
- Expressing surprise at the high price of something. Ouch, one hundred thousand dollars for a car! I could never afford that!
noun ouches
-
Something that causes discomfort or pain.
RhuliGel soothes the itches and ouches of summer.
Similar: ooch
verb ouches · ouching · ouched
- To exclaim "ouch!" in discomfort or pain. Imperturbability your skill, not mine / I ouch out loud and clear / Your forgiveness, like Pope's divine / I'm just an angry queer
ouch²
Where it comes from
Variant forms.
noun ouches
- Alternative form of ouche
Ouch³
proper noun Ouches
- A surname.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: god, boy, owch, henry, osh, goodness, iea, aye, wow, damn, whoa, anthony, gosh, uh-oh, yipe, ooch
Translations
Every language
intj expression of one’s own physical pain
| Español | ay, uy, au, aw, auch |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 아야 aya |
| 日本語 | 痛い itai, いて ite, いてて itete |
| 中文 | 哎喲 /哎哟 āiyō, 哎呀 āiyā |
| Português | ai, au |
| Français | aïe, ouille |
| Deutsch | au, aua, autsch |
| Italiano | ahi, ahia |
| Ελληνικά | αχ ach, ωχ och, άουτς áouts |
| Română | ai, au, ah, vai, aoleu |
| Русский | ой oj, ай aj, ох ox, а́уч áuč |
| Tiếng Việt | úi da, ai da, ui da, đau |
| العربية | أَحّ ʔaḥḥ, حِلْيَة ḥilya |
| עברית | אח, אוי |
intj reply to an insult
| Français | aïe |
|---|
Talk about this word "ouch." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/ouch. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. ouch. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/ouch "ouch." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/ouch.Cite this
@misc{ouch_2026,
title = {ouch},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/ouch},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
