oath

B2 Topic:Register & Style

US /ˈoʊθ/ UK /ˈəʊθ/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like oat /θ/ vs /t/

Freq #4590

Meanings

1

noun
A serious, formal promise to do something or to tell the truth.

The new president took an oath to serve the country.
2

noun
A formal promise in a court of law to tell the truth.

The witness gave her evidence under oath.
3

noun
A rude or offensive word said in anger or surprise.

He muttered an oath when he hit his thumb with the hammer.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · a formal promise in a court... swearing

3 noun · a rude or offensive word... cursecurse wordexpletiveswearword

More avowal pledge vow

Word family

Forms oaths

Derived forms counteroathoath-brotheroath-helperoath-helpingoath-ringoathableoathboundoathbreachoathbreakeroathbreakingoathfuloathless

Related forms affirmation

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

inviolable oath
A solemn promise regarded as binding and never to be broken.

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English ooth, oth, ath, from Old English āþ (“oath”), from Proto-West Germanic *aiþ (“oath”), from Proto-Germanic *aiþaz (“oath”). Cognate with Scots aith, athe (“oath”), North Frisian ith, iss (“oath”), Saterland Frisian Eed (“oath”), West Frisian eed (“oath”), Dutch eed (“oath”), German Eid (“oath”), Swedish ed (“oath”), Icelandic eið (“oath”), Latin ūtor (“make use of, employ, avail”, verb), Old Irish óeth (“oath”).

ooth Middle English āþ Old English *aiþ Proto-West Germanic *aiþaz Proto-Germanic

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Topics

External links

# oath

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈoʊθ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈəʊθ/
**Frequency rank:** 4590

## Meanings
1. A serious, formal promise to do something or to tell the truth.
2. A formal promise in a court of law to tell the truth.
3. A rude or offensive word said in anger or surprise.

## Examples
- The new president took an oath to serve the country.
- The witness gave her evidence under oath.
- He muttered an oath when he hit his thumb with the hammer.

## Synonyms
- avowal
- pledge
- vow

## Derived Forms
- counteroath
- oath-brother
- oath-helper
- oath-helping
- oath-ring
- oathable
- oathbound
- oathbreach
- oathbreaker
- oathbreaking
- oathful
- oathless

## Related Forms
- affirmation

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ooth
- Root: āþ
- Root: *aiþ
- Root: *aiþaz

## Etymology
From Middle English ooth, oth, ath, from Old English āþ (“oath”), from Proto-West Germanic *aiþ (“oath”), from Proto-Germanic *aiþaz (“oath”). Cognate with Scots aith, athe (“oath”), North Frisian ith, iss (“oath”), Saterland Frisian Eed (“oath”), West Frisian eed (“oath”), Dutch eed (“oath”), German Eid (“oath”), Swedish ed (“oath”), Icelandic eið (“oath”), Latin ūtor (“make use of, employ, avail”, verb), Old Irish óeth (“oath”).

## AI Etymology
Oath comes from Middle English ooth, oth, ath, from Old English āþ (“oath”), from Proto-West Germanic *aiþ (“oath”), from Proto-Germanic *aiþaz (“oath”). Cognate with Scots aith, athe (“oath”), North Frisian ith, iss (“oath”), Saterland Frisian Eed (“oath”), West Frisian eed (“oath”), Dutch eed (“oath”), German Eid (“oath”), Swedish ed (“oath”), Icelandic eið (“oath”), Latin ūtor (“make use of, employ, avail”, verb), Old Irish óeth (“oath”). Modern senses include a serious, formal promise to do something or to tell the truth and a formal promise in a court of law to tell the truth. The wider word family includes derivatives such as counteroath, oath-brother, oath-helper, oath-helping, oath-ring, and oathable and related forms such as affirmation.

## Topics
- Register & Style
- General Vocabulary

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