mọ

See also: Appendix:Variations of "mo"

Yoruba

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɔ̃̀/

Verb

mọ̀

1. to know

Usage notes

mọ when followed by a direct object.

Synonyms

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - mọ̀ (“to know”)
view map; edit data
Language Family	Variety Group	Variety/Language	Subdialect	Location	Words
Proto-Itsekiri-SEY	Southeast Yoruba	Ào		Ìdóàní	mọ̀
		Eastern Àkókó	Àkùngbá	Àkùngbá Àkókó	mọ̀
		Ìdànrè (Ùdànè, Ùdànrè)		Ìdànrè (Ùdànè, Ùdànrè)	mà
		Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú Òde	mù
			Rẹ́mọ	Ẹ̀pẹ́	mù
				Ìkòròdú	mù
				Ṣágámù	mù
		Ìkálẹ̀ (Ùkálẹ̀)		Òkìtìpupa	mà
		Ìlàjẹ (Ùlàjẹ)		Mahin	mà
		Oǹdó		Oǹdó	mà
		Ọ̀wọ̀ (Ọ̀ghọ̀)		Ọ̀wọ̀ (Ọ̀ghọ̀)	mà
		Usẹn		Usẹn	mà
	Ìtsẹkírì			Ìwẹrẹ	mà
	Olùkùmi			Ugbódù	mà
Proto-Yoruba	Central Yoruba	Èkìtì	Èkìtì	Àdó Èkìtì	mọ̀
			Àkúrẹ́	Àkúrẹ́	mọ̀
			Mọ̀bà	Ọ̀tùn Èkìtì	mọ̀
		Ifẹ̀ (Ufẹ̀)		Ilé Ifẹ̀ (Ulé Ufẹ̀)	mọ̀
		Ìjẹ̀ṣà (Ùjẹ̀ṣà)		Iléṣà (Uléṣà)	mọ̀
	Northwest Yoruba	Àwórì		Èbúté Mẹ́tà	mọ̀
		Ẹ̀gbá		Abẹ́òkúta	mọ̀
		Ẹ̀gbádò		Ìjàká	mà
		Èkó		Èkó	mọ̀
		Ìbàdàn		Ìbàdàn	mọ̀
		Ìgbómìnà		Ìlá Ọ̀ràngún	mọ̀
				Ìfẹ́lódùn LGA	mọ̀
				Ìrẹ́pọ̀dùn LGA	mọ̀
				Ìsin LGA	mọ̀
		Ìlọrin		Ìlọrin	mọ̀
		Oǹkó		Òtù	mọ̀
				Ìwéré Ilé	mọ̀
				Òkèhò	mọ̀
				Ìsẹ́yìn	mọ̀
				Ṣakí	mọ̀
				Tedé	mọ̀
				Ìgbẹ́tì	mọ̀
		Ọ̀yọ́		Ọ̀yọ́	mọ̀
		Standard Yorùbá		Nàìjíríà	mọ̀
				Bɛ̀nɛ̀	mɔ̀
	Northeast Yoruba/Okun	Ìyàgbà		Ìsánlú Ìtẹ̀dó	mọ̀
		Owé		Kabba	mọ̀
	Ede Languages/Southwest Yoruba	Ana		Sokode	mà
		Cábɛ̀ɛ́		Cábɛ̀ɛ́ (Ìdàdú)	mɔ̀
				Tchaourou	mɔ̀
		Ǹcà (Ìcà, Ìncà)		Baàtɛ	mɔ̀
		Ìdàácà	Benin	Igbó Ìdàácà (Dasa Zunmɛ̀)	mà
		Ọ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí-Ìjè	Ọ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí/Ìjè	Ìkpòbɛ́	mà
				Onigbolo	mà
			Kétu/Ànàgó	Kétu	mù
		Ifɛ̀		Akpáré	mà
				Atakpamɛ	mà
				Boko	mà
				Moretan	mà
				Tchetti (Tsɛti, Cɛti)	mà
		Kura		Aledjo-Koura	mà
				Awotébi	mà
				Partago	mà
		Mɔ̄kɔ́lé		Kandi	mà
		Northern Nago		Kambole	mà
				Manigri	mà
Note: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties, now deemed dialects of Yorùbá in Nigeria (i.e. Southeast Yorùbá, Northwest Yorùbá, Central Yorùbá, and Northeast Yorùbá), have converged with those of Standard Yorùbá leading to the creation of what can be labeled Common Yorùbá (Funṣọ Akere, 1977). It can be assumed that the Standard Yorùbá term can also be used in most Nigerian varieties alongside native terms, especially amongst younger speakers. This does not apply to the other Nigerian Yoruboid languages of Ìṣẹkírì and Olùkùmi, nor the Èdè Languages of Benin and Togo.

Derived terms

• mọ̀ọ́mọ̀ (“knowingly”)
• mọ̀wé (“to know books, to be educated”)
• àtimọ̀ (“knowing”)
• àìmọ̀ (“unknown”)
• ìmọ̀ (“knowledge”)

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɔ̃́/

Verb

mọ́

1. to be clean

   Ṣó mọ́ àbó dọ̀tí? ― Is it clean or dirty?

2. to be holy

Derived terms

• mọ́ tónítóní (“to be clean”)
• mímọ́ (“clean, holy”)
• ìmọ́tótó (“cleanliness, hygiene”)

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɔ̃̄/

Verb

mọ

1. to mold, to shape
2. to construct

Derived terms

• mọlé (“to build a house”)
• mọ̀kòkò (“to mold a pot”)
• mímọ (“molding”)
• Olúmọ (“the Olúmọ rock, found in Abẹ́òkúta, and the deity that inhabits the rock”)

Etymology 4

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɔ̃̄/

Verb

mọ

1. (Ọwọ, Ikalẹ) Alternative form of mu (“to drink”)

Derived terms

• ẹmọ (“palm wine, drink”)
• ùmọ (“manner of drinking”)
• ùmọkúmọ (“bad drinking”)