# of

> English word · Preposition · IPA /ɒv/ · frequency rank #4

## Definitions
1. Expressing distance or motion.
2. Expressing distance or motion.
3. Expressing distance or motion.
4. Expressing separation.
5. Expressing separation.
6. Expressing separation.
7. Expressing origin.
8. Expressing origin.
9. Expressing origin.
10. Expressing origin.
11. Expressing origin.
12. Expressing agency.
13. Expressing agency.
14. Expressing agency.
15. Expressing composition, substance.
16. Expressing composition, substance.
17. Expressing composition, substance.
18. Expressing composition, substance.
19. Expressing composition, substance.
20. Introducing subject matter.
21. Introducing subject matter.
22. Introducing subject matter.
23. Having partitive effect.
24. Having partitive effect.
25. Having partitive effect.
26. Having partitive effect.
27. Expressing possession.
28. Expressing possession.
29. Expressing possession.
30. Forming the "objective genitive".
31. Forming the "objective genitive".
32. Expressing qualities or characteristics.
33. Expressing qualities or characteristics.
34. Expressing qualities or characteristics.
35. Expressing qualities or characteristics.
36. Expressing a point in time.
37. Expressing a point in time.
38. Expressing a point in time.
39. Expressing a point in time.
40. Expressing a point in time.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó
Proto-Germanic *ab
Proto-West Germanic *ab
Old English æf
Old English of
Middle English of
English of
From Middle English of, from Old English of (“from, out of, off”), an unstressed form of æf, from Proto-West Germanic *ab, from Proto-Germanic *ab (“away; away from”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó (“away”). Doublet of off, which is the stressed descendant of the same Old English word. More at off.

## Easily confused with
- **on** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-on)
- **or** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-or)
- **OH** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-oh)
- **OK** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-ok)
- **op** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-op)
- **OS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-os)
- **oz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-oz)
- **OT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-ot)
- **ou** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-ou)
- **OG** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-og)
- **oi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-oi)
- **ow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-ow)
- **oo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-oo)
- **om** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-om)
- **ox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-ox)
- **OJ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-oj)
- **oy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-oy)
- **ov** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-ov)
- **one** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-one)
- **out** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/of-vs-out)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/of