ulo

Ulo is a noun in Tagalog and other Philippine languages meaning "head" or "skull." It refers to the upper part of the body that houses the brain and sense organs and is used in everyday speech to denote a person’s head. In these languages, ulo functions as a basic body-part term and appears in phrases describing location, injury, or head-related actions.

Etymology and related languages: Ulo is native to Austronesian languages and has cognates across various Philippine languages, such as Cebuano and Hiligaynon, where the same or a closely related form also means "head." Its use reflects the shared typology of body-part vocabulary across these languages.

Grammar and usage: When referring to more than one head, the plural form is formed with the Philippine plural marker mga, yielding mga ulo. As a common noun, ulo combines with adjectives and other modifiers in typical noun phrases and appears in compound terms and idioms related to the head, thinking, or leadership in some expressions.

Other uses and notes: Outside of its primary meaning, ulo can show up as a proper name or acronym in different linguistic or cultural contexts, depending on language and usage. The basic sense as head remains the most widespread and recognized meaning in Philippine language contexts.

See also: head, skull.