ole

1 of 4

adjective

ˈōl 

informal

: old

reminiscing about the good ole days

had a grand ole time

saw a big ole snake

… "That ole devil still living?"

—Mildred D. Taylor

… an ole workin man …

—George Bernard Shaw

… new uses for the good ole potato.

—Sheila O'Meara Lowenstein

… he didn't lose because of little ole me.

—Matt Gurney

… the ole switcheroo, a technique whereby a jeweller will replace his infinitesimally smaller rock for your larger one.

—Elle

… what Robb has done for Democrats is win something. And not just any ole something: Virginia.

—George F. Will

olé

2 of 4

noun

ō-ˈlā 

: bravo entry 2

ole-

3 of 4

combining form

variants or oleo-

: oil

oleograph

-ole

4 of 4

noun combining form

variants or less commonly -ol

1

: chemical compound containing a 5-membered usually heterocyclic ring

pyrrole

2

: chemical compound not containing hydroxyl

eucalyptol

—especially in names of ethers

safrole

Examples of ole in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The restaurant, after all, is modeled after banquet Cantonese cooking, eaten at a round table with dishes served family-style on big ole lazy Susans. 4. —Scott Hocker, theweek, 21 Mar. 2024

But those who know him well say Montgomery, a good ole South Carolina boy, would hate it in San Francisco. —Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 2 Mar. 2024

These chips would blow you away in a big ole skillet cookie, or perhaps a warm chocolate bread pudding. —Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 6 Mar. 2024

The good ole days of Southern Charm being a boys club are over. —Taylor Crumpton, Essence, 19 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

by alteration

Noun

Spanish

Combining form

French olé-, oléo-, from Latin ole-, from oleum — more at oil

Noun combining form

International Scientific Vocabulary, from Latin oleum

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1832, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1922, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ole

• any ole
• good ole
• good ole boy