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oy vey (oi vā)

interj.

Used to express irritation, dismay, sorrow, or self-pity.

[Yiddish : oy, interjection expressing irritation or sorrow + vey, woe (from Middle High German wē, from Old High German wah, wē; akin to Old English waā, woe!).]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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