Standard Lemma guide

oom

noun · phrase · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-South-African: /ʊəm/
  • UK: /ʊm/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʊəm
  • rhymes with -ʊm

1

noun

Meaning 1

An older man, especially an uncle. (Frequently as a respectful form of address.)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: South-Africa

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An instance of an out of memory error.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Initialism of order of magnitude.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, initialism

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

phrase

Meaning 4

Initialism of out of memory.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, initialism

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, programming, sciences

Examples

  • If you write infinitely recursive code, you might generate an OOM error.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

phrase

Meaning 5

Initialism of out of mana.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, initialism

Topics: video-games

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Afrikaans oom. Doublet of eam and ohm.

By initialism or acronymy.