-ole

¹

1. a suffix found in French loanwords of Latin origin, usually diminutives, and later in adaptations of words borrowed directly from Latin or in New Latin coinages: centriole;

   areole;

   centriole;

   vacuole.

-ole

²

1. a suffix used in names of chemical compounds, especially five-membered, unsaturated rings (carbazole; indole; thiazole ) and, less systematically, aromatic ethers (anisole; safrole ).

olé

³

[oh-ley]

interjection

1. (used as a shout of approval, triumph, or encouragement.)

noun

1. a cry of “olé.”

ole-

⁴

1. variant of oleo- before a vowel.

   oleiferous.

-ole

¹

combining form

1. denoting an organic unsaturated compound containing a 5-membered ring

   thiazole

2. denoting an aromatic organic ether

   anisole

olé

²

/ əʊˈleɪ /

interjection

1. an exclamation of approval or encouragement customary at bullfights, flamenco dancing, and other Spanish or Latin American events

noun

1. a cry of olé

-ole

³

suffix

1. indicating something small

   arteriole

OLE

⁴

abbreviation

1. object linking and embedding: a system for linking and embedding data, images, and programs from different sources

Word History and Origins

Origin of -ole¹

From French, from Latin -olus, -ola, -olum, variant of -ulus -ule with stems ending in a vowel

Origin of -ole²

< French < Latin oleum oil

Origin of -ole³

First recorded in 1910–15; from Spanish ole, olé, from Arabic wa-llāh “and Allah,” from wa “and” + allāh “God, Allah”

Word History and Origins

Origin of -ole¹

from Latin oleum oil, from Greek elaion, from elaia olive

Origin of -ole²

Spanish, from Arabic wa-llāh, from wa and + allāh God

Origin of -ole³

from Latin -olus, diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

Ole Miss’s replacement on Saturday was Missouri State, which finished 4-8 as a Football Championship Subdivision team.

From Los Angeles Times

Ngumoha, who has represented England U15s, U16s and U17s, played at the Ole Futsal Academy in small-sided matches alongside his development in Chelsea's academy.

From BBC

Two more productive seasons in which he never earned a full-time starting role were followed by a transfer to Ole Miss, where Lawrence played in four games in 2024 before utilizing a redshirt season.

From Los Angeles Times

Kelly hosted her daytime talk show for little more than a year before fumbling the bag by fondly reminiscing over the good ‘ole days of blackface as a cheeky Halloween costume. In 2018, she flopped again with a so-called “hard-hitting” interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

From Salon

They are having a summer rebuild, however, under new 37-year-old head coach Ole Werner.

From BBC

When To Use

What does olé mean?

Olé is an exclamation of approval, encouragement, or victory. The unrelated word ole, without the accent mark over the e, is simply a version of the word old meant to imitate how it is sometimes pronounced.Olé, pronounced [ oh-LAY ], comes from Spanish and is often associated with its use during Spanish or Latin American events or activities, such as when it’s shouted by spectators during bullfights or certain dances. More recently, it has become a popular chant by fans at soccer (football) games, especially to mark a team’s victory.Ole (pronounced like old without the d) is colloquial, meaning it’s typically used in informal conversation. It’s especially used to intensify the meaning of another adjective that it’s paired with, as in Look at that big ole truck. It’s sometimes spelled ol’.Example: When I visited Spain, I finally got to see people chanting, "Olé!" in a big ole arena, just like in the movies!