Ohmigod

Ohmigod is a colloquial orthographic variant of the English exclamation "oh my God," used to express surprise, astonishment, or excitement in informal writing. In this form, the phrase is typically written as a single word or with mixed case, and it frequently appears in text messages, social media posts, memes, and casual dialogue in fiction and online communities. It is closely connected to the acronym OMG (Oh My God), which serves the same function in a shorter form.

Orthography and tone: The capitalization and punctuation of ohmigod vary by user and platform. The single-word variant signals informality and immediacy; it can convey humor, exaggeration, or playfulness, depending on context and accompanying emoji or tone. In more formal or sensitive settings, the expression is usually avoided or softened to "oh my gosh" or "oh dear" to reduce religious content.

Origins and cultural usage: The underlying exclamation originates from the religious phrase "oh my God" in English. Its casual form proliferated with digital communication in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, becoming part of meme culture and everyday online speech. Some communities treat it as blasphemous or disrespectful, while others see it as a harmless, everyday exclamation; attitudes toward the term vary by region, context, and audience.

Related terms: Oh my God, OMG, Oh my gosh, Oh my goodness.