Etymograph

English

aiyo

Aiyo comes from Tamil ஐயோ ‘an expression of pain, sorrow, regret, grief,…’.

  1. Tamilmodernஐயோaiyō‘an expression of pain, sorrow, regret, grief, concern, wonder, exasperation’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1886aiyo

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Tamilmodernஐயோaiyō‘an expression of pain, sorrow, regret, grief, concern, wonder, exasperation’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1886aiyo

Earliest quotation: 1886, Chamber's Journal. 20 Mar. 184/1:: “'Are you crying for your father?' 'Aiyo, aiyo!' wailed…”

The story

Mainly borrowed from Tamil ஐயோ (aiyō) and Sinhalese අයියෝ (ayiyō). Common in Dravidian languages; compare Telugu అయ్యో (ayyō), Kannada ಅಯ್ಯೋ (ayyō), Malayalam അയ്യോ (ayyō), Tulu ಅಯ್ಯೋ (ayyō), Kurux अयो (ayo).

Every English word from Tamil ஐயோ

Today it means

intj Expressing distress, regret, or fear.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Tamil ஐயோ / aiyo

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