O facts for kids

The letter O is the fifteenth (number 15) letter in the English alphabet. It looks like a circle! It is also one of the five main vowel letters, which means it helps make different sounds in words.

The Story of the Letter O

The letter 'O' has a very old and interesting history. It came from an ancient letter used by the Phoenicians, a people who lived a long time ago. Their letter was called ayin, which meant "eye." It looked like a simple circle, just like an eye.

How O Traveled Through Time

Later, the Ancient Greeks adopted this letter. They changed its name to omicron, which means "little O." They used it to represent a short 'o' sound. The Greeks also created another 'O' letter, omega, for a long 'o' sound.

When the Romans created their alphabet, they took the Greek omicron and made it part of the Latin alphabet. This is the alphabet we use for English today. The Roman 'O' kept its simple circle shape and its 'o' sound.

Sounds the Letter O Makes

The letter 'O' can make several different sounds in English words.

• Long O sound: This is the sound you hear in words like "boat," "go," and "home." It often sounds like the name of the letter itself.
• Short O sound: This is the sound in words like "dog," "hot," and "stop." It's a shorter, more open sound.
• Other O sounds: Sometimes, 'O' can make other sounds too. For example, in "do" or "move," it sounds like "oo." In "woman," it sounds like a short 'u'.

O in Everyday Words

The letter 'O' is very common in English. It appears in many words we use every day. Think about words like "open," "orange," "ocean," and "octopus." It's a versatile letter that helps us form countless words and sentences.

Images for kids

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  Late Renaissance or early Baroque design of an O, from 1627

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  Pronunciation of the name of the letter ⟨o⟩ in European languages

See also

In Spanish: O para niños