opa

See also: Appendix:Variations of "opa"

Languages (22)

Translingual • English

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Alabama • Ambonese Malay • Basque • Chichewa • Dutch • Esperanto • Galician • Garo • Gun • Icelandic • Indonesian • Lithuanian • Mentawai • Norwegian Nynorsk • Paraguayan Guarani • Portuguese • Slovincian • Spanish • Uzbek • Yami

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Page categories

Translingual

Etymology

Abbreviation of English Okpamheri.

Symbol

opa

1. (international standards) ISO 639-3 language code for Okpamheri.

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Okpamheri terms

English

Etymology 1

Borrowed from German Opa.

Noun

opa (plural opas)

1. (among people of German-speaking ancestry) Grandfather, grandpa.

   Coordinate term: oma

   • 2012 July 13, Clare Hansen, “Family life”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian‎^[2], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 6 June 2015:

     We love to eat: Opa's apple cake […] My opa (grandfather) had a long and beautifully kept allotment in the north German town of Flensburg.

   • 2016 September 20, Jim Carnett, “Pondering the eternal with my grandson”, in Daily Pilot‎^[3], Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2 September 2025:

     I intuited that somehow I’d always been, yet, clearly, there was time — a considerable time — when I was not. So, where was I? I didn’t have an opa to ask.

   • 2020, Alexander Starritt, We Germans‎^[4], London: John Murray (Publishers), →ISBN:

     That story of him playing football on his crutches I’ve heard from at least four people: my grandparents, my mum and one of the other boys, who’s since become a mildly creepy evangelical Christian. He retold it to me at my opa’s funeral, about half a century after the game. It’s true that I asked my opa some less than tactful questions on that visit. […] My opa had actually started writing a memoir once before, soon after my oma died.

   • 2020 September 1, Deb Amlen, “Sales Spiel in 60 Seconds or Less”, in The New York Times‎^[5], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2 September 2020:

     My children have an oma and an OPA, so I knew that I could put in the O and the A.

   • 2022 September 14, Jessica Grose, “What School Anxiety Dreams Teach Us About Ourselves”, in The New York Times‎^[6], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 14 September 2022:

     My opa grew up poor in Vienna and then got a scholarship to a prestigious Jewish high school.

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Greek όπα (ópa) or ώπα (ópa).

Interjection

opa

1. An expression of excitement, shock or surprise.
   • 2020 July 31, deTraci Regula, “Opa! The Greeks Have a Word for It All”, in ThoughtCo‎^[7], archived from the original on 22 February 2024:

     He's even founded a center based on his principles of applying opa to everyday life, dedicated to the practice of "The Opa! Way" and manifesting your inner Greekness, which he says you can have without being actually Greek.

Alabama

Noun

opa

1. hoot owl, barred owl The barred owl (Strix varia), also known as the northern barred owl, striped owl or, more informally, hoot owl, is a North American large species of owl.

Further reading

Barred owl on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Ambonese Malay

Etymology

Borrowed from Dutch opa.

Noun

opa

1. grandfather, grandpa

   Opa su mati di Ambong.

   Grandpa died in Ambon.

See also

• oma (“grandmother, grandma”)
• nene (“grandmother, grandma”)

References

• D. Takaria, C. Pieter (1998), Kamus Bahasa Melayu Ambon-Indonesia‎^[8], Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa

Basque

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /opa/ [o.pa]
• Rhymes: -opa, -a
• Hyphenation: o‧pa

Noun

opa inan

1. desire
2. offer, offering

Declension

Declension of opa (inan a-stem)

	indefinite	singular	plural	proximal plural
absolutive	opa	opa	opak	opok
ergative	opak	opak	opek	opok
dative	opari	opari	opei	opoi
genitive	oparen	oparen	open	opon
comitative	oparekin	oparekin	opekin	opokin
causative	oparengatik	oparengatik	opengatik	opongatik
benefactive	oparentzat	oparentzat	opentzat	opontzat
instrumental	opaz	opaz	opez	opotaz
inessive	opatan	opan	opetan	opotan
locative	opatako	opako	opetako	opotako
allative	opatara	opara	opetara	opotara
terminative	opataraino	oparaino	opetaraino	opotaraino
directive	opatarantz	oparantz	opetarantz	opotarantz
destinative	opatarako	oparako	opetarako	opotarako
ablative	opatatik	opatik	opetatik	opotatik
partitive	oparik	—	—	—
prolative	opatzat	—	—	—

Derived terms

• opa egin (“to offer”)
• opa izan (“to desire”)
• opagai (“offering”)
• opagarri (“desirable”)
• opaka (“offering”)
• opakizun (“present”)
• opaldu (“to offer”)
• opalkuntza (“offering”)
• opari (“present”) (see there for further derivations)
• oparo (“abundant”) (see there for further derivations)
• oparri (“altar”)
• opatu (“to desire, to offer”)

Further reading

• “opa”, in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia [Dictionary of the Basque Academy] (in Basque), Euskaltzaindia [Royal Academy of the Basque Language]
• “opa”, in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia [General Basque Dictionary], Euskaltzaindia, 1987–2005

Chichewa

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *-jòpa.

Verb

-opa (infinitive kuópa)

1. to fear, to be afraid
2. to dread
3. to awe
4. to have dysphoria

Derived terms

• Verbal derivations:
  • Applicative: -opera
  • Causative: -opetsa
  • Negative: -saopa
  • Reciprocal: -opana
  • Reduplicative: -opaopa
  • Repetitive: -opanso
  • Stative: -opeka

References

• Steven Paas (2016), Oxford Chichewa-English/English - Chichewa Dictionary‎^[9], Oxford University Press, page 440

Dutch

Etymology

Cognate with German Opa.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

opa m (plural opa's, diminutive opaatje n)

1. granddad, grandpa, pops

   Synonyms: bompa, grootvader

2. (colloquial) any old man

Related terms

• oma

Descendants

• Skepi Creole Dutch: opai
• Sranan Tongo: owpa
• → Ambonese Malay: opa
• → Papiamentu: opa

Esperanto

Etymology

Etymology tree

Esperanto opo

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂

Proto-Italic *-ā

Latin -ader.

▲

Latin -a

Italian -ader.

▲

Latin -a

Old Spanish -a

Spanish -ader.

Esperanto -a

Esperanto opa

From opo + -a.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈopa/
• Rhymes: -opa
• Syllabification: o‧pa

Adjective

opa (accusative singular opan, plural opaj, accusative plural opajn)

1. joint, shared, mutual (done or held by multiple entities together)

   Oni ne povas nomi doktrino tiun opan duonfrenezon.

   This joint half-madness cannot be called a doctrine.

Usage notes

This word is not to be used in the sense of "single," "individual," or "isolated." It means the opposite. See unuopa, aparta, and individua.

Further reading

• “opa”, in Plena Ilustrita Vortaro de Esperanto [Complete Illustrated Dictionary of Esperanto], 2020, →ISBN
• “opa”, in Reta Vortaro [Online Dictionary] (in Esperanto), 1997-2026

Galician

Etymology 1

Onomatopoeic, or either related to English up.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɔpa̝/

Interjection

opa!

1. up!
   • 19th c, traditional, D. Blanco (ed.), A poesía popular en Galicia 1745-1885. Recopilación, estudio e edición crítica (vol. II), page 153:

     O que se casa con vellas / non sei qué gracia lles topa / cando se sentan: «Ai» / cando se erguen: «Opa»

     The one that marries an old woman, I don't know what charm he finds, when she sits down is «Ouch!», when she gets up is «Up!»

   Synonym: upa

Etymology 2

14th century. Unknown.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɔpa̝/

Noun

opa f (plural opas)

1. (usually in the plural) a type of cape used by members of the clergy
   • 1414, Clarinda de Azevedo Maia (ed.), História do galego-português. Estado linguístico da Galiza e do Noroeste de Portugal do século XII ao século XVI (com referência á situação do galego moderno). Coimbra: I.N.I.C., page 102:

     mando a Rodrigo Afonſo, clerigo, meu criado, as mjñas opas griſes forradas de ſarga vermella

     I send to Rodrigo Afonso, my servant, my grey capes [which are] lined in red serge

   Synonym: balandrán

References

• Seoane, Ernesto Xosé González; Granja, María Álvarez de la; Agrelo, Ana Isabel Boullón (2006–2022), “opa”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval [Dictionary of dictionaries of Medieval Galician] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Barreiro, Xavier Varela; Guinovart, Xavier Gómez (2006–2018), “opa”, in Corpus Xelmírez: corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval [Corpus Xelmírez: linguistic corpus of Medieval Galicia] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Santamarina, editor (2006–2013), “opa”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Santamarina, Ernesto X. González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “opa”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega

Garo

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Verb

opa

1. to suck

Gun

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ō.k͡pà/

Noun

opà (plural opà lẹ) (Nigeria)

1. vow

Icelandic

Noun

opa

1. indefinite genitive plural of op

Indonesian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈopa/
• Hyphenation: o‧pa

Etymology 1

From Dutch opa.

Noun

oma (plural opa-opa)

1. (colloquial) grandpa

   Synonym: kakek

   Coordinate term: oma

   Tempat ini adalah rumah bagi 41 orang lanjut usia—yang di sini lebih senang dipanggil Opa dan Oma.

   This place is home to 41 elderly people—who here prefer to be called grandpa and grandma.

Etymology 2

Unknown.

Noun

opa (plural opa-opa)

1. natural food container made from sago fronds, used when eating in the garden

Etymology 3

From Mentawai opa.

Noun

opa (plural opa-opa)

1. traditional Mentawai bag, made of woven rattan, tube-shaped, used to carry food and drinks

Further reading

• “opa”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Lithuanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [opɐ]

Noun

opà f (plural opos) stress pattern 1

1. ulcer

Interjection

opa

1. hop (about jumping)

Mentawai

Noun

opa

1. traditional Mentawai bag, made of woven rattan, tube-shaped, used to carry food and drinks

Descendants

• → Indonesian: opa

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

Noun

opa n

1. definite plural of op

Etymology 2

Possibly from Old Norse opna, feminine accusative singular indefinite of opinn.

Alternative forms

• opi

Adjective

opa

1. (dialectal) feminine singular of open

   Ho har ei opa sak mot dei.

   She has an open case against them.

   Ei opa bud.

   An open booth.

Paraguayan Guarani

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -a

Determiner

opa

1. all

References

• Canese, Natalia Krivoshein de; Alcaraz, Feliciano Acosta (2016), “opa”, in Ñe’ẽryru [Dictionary] (overall work in Spanish), Asunción: Instituto Superior de Lenguas, →ISBN, page 83, column 2

Portuguese

Etymology 1

Unknown. Compare French hop-là and German hoppla.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈo.pɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈo.pɐ/

Interjection

opa (Brazil)

1. oops (acknowledging a minor mistake)

   Synonym: ops

   Opa! Desculpa, foi sem querer.

   Oops! Sorry, it was an accident.

2. hey (protest or reprimand)

   Opa, calma aí! Não precisa ofender!

   Hey, calm down! No need to offend!

3. hey (informal greeting)

   Opa! Eaí, tudo bem?

   Hey! What's up?

Etymology 2

Unknown.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈɔ.pɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈɔ.pɐ/

Noun

opa f (plural opas)

1. a type of cape used by members of the clergy

   Synonym: balandrau

2. (Brazil, colloquial) carousal (noisy feast or social gathering)

   Synonyms: farra, folia, pândega

3. (Brazil, colloquial) bad company
4. (Brazil) yellow lapacho (Handroanthus serratifolius)

   Synonym: ipê-do-cerrado

Etymology 3

Borrowed from German Opa (“grandpa”).

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈo.pɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈo.pɐ/

Noun

opa m (plural opas, feminine oma, feminine plural omas)

1. (South Brazil, familiar) grandpa

   Synonym: avô

Further reading

• “opa”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “opa”, in Dicio – Dicionário Online de Português (in Portuguese), São Paulo: 7Graus, 2009–2026
• “opa”, in Dicionário inFormal (in Portuguese), 2006–2026
• “opa”, in Dicionário Infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2026
• “opa”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2026, →ISBN
• “opa”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Slovincian

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep-der.?

Proto-Germanic *apô

Proto-West Germanic *apō

Old Saxon apo

Middle Low German āpe

Low Prussian Apbor.

Slovincian opa

Borrowed from Low Prussian Ap.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɔ.pa/
• Rhymes: -ɔpa
• Syllabification: o‧pa

Noun

opa m animal (female equivalent opôwo or opka, diminutive opk, related adjective opôwy or opjy or opskjy, possessive adjective opó)

1. monkey, ape (primate)

Derived terms

nouns

• opjã

Related terms

nouns

• opjõteczkô
• opjõtkô
• opjõtúszkô

Further reading

• Lorentz, Friedrich (1908), “ǻu̯pă”, in Slovinzisches Wörterbuch‎^[10] (in German), volume 1, Saint Petersburg: ОРЯС ИАН, page 8

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈopa/ [ˈo.pa]
• Rhymes: -opa
• Syllabification: o‧pa

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Quechua upa.

Adjective

opa m or f (masculine and feminine plural opas)

1. (offensive, colloquial, Rioplatense, Bolivia) stupid

Noun

opa m or f by sense (plural opas)

1. (offensive, colloquial, Paraguay, Bolivia, Rioplatense, rustic in Peru) a fool, a stupid person

Etymology 2

Unknown. Compare Portuguese opa, French hop-là, German hoppla.

Interjection

opa

1. (Rioplatense) expression indicating surprise

Etymology 3

Noun

opa f (plural opas)

1. (business) acronym of oferta pública de adquisición (“takeover bid”)

Derived terms

• contraopa

Further reading

• “opa”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Uzbek

Other scripts

Arabic (Afghan Uzbek)		آپه
Cyrillic		—
Latin		—

Noun

opa

1. older sister

Yami

Noun

opa

1. (anatomy) thigh