What does los mean?
Los is the rare plural form of lo, an archaic English exclamation resembling “behold” or “look.” The expression was used to direct a reader’s or listener’s attention to something, often in narrative, dramatic, or literary contexts. Although lo could function as both an interjection and, in older usage, a noun, the plural los is principally recorded as the plural of that interjection. It is not a modern plural noun with an independent meaning, and modern speakers would normally use lo without a plural form. The word can therefore appear in antiquarian texts, glossaries, dictionaries, and quotations from older literature, but it is uncommon in contemporary English. Its principal modern significance is historical: it preserves the fact that the expression once belonged to a flexible grammatical tradition in which even an interjection could regularly take a plural ending.
nounThe plural form of lo, an archaic exclamation used to draw attention to something.
- The plural of the archaic interjection lo, used to call attention to something.
"The antiquarian noted that the old text contained the unusual plural “los” rather than “lo.”"
"“Los! Here is the letter you sought,” said the old bookseller."
"The glossary explains that the expression is the plural form of the archaic exclamation “lo.”"
The regular plural of the archaic interjection lo. It is not a modern plural noun with an independent meaning.
"The fragment reads “los,” an archaic plural form of the exclamation lo."
Once given a plural of its own, “los” now survives chiefly in dictionaries and archaic texts.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does los come from?
The underlying interjection lo descends from Middle English lo, which was developed from the Old English exclamation lā. Old English lā was an interjection of surprise, attention, or wonder, and the form lo became established in Middle English. The plural los was produced by adding the regular English plural ending -s to lo; it does not represent a separate word with an independent historical meaning.
Related word forms
How los is actually used
This form is archaic and extremely rare even in historical writing. It should not be confused with the modern proper name Los, as in Los Angeles.