o'er
prep.prep. a shorter, poetic way to say 'over'. You will mostly see this in old songs, poems, or stories.
prep. a poetic or literary contraction of 'over'. Used primarily in verse to maintain a specific meter or rhythm.
The moon rose high o'er the quiet hills.
The poet described the mist hanging o'er the valley as a silver blanket.
In traditional folk ballads, the hero often travels o'er the sea to find his fortune, using the contraction to preserve the iambic rhythm of the stanza.
Usage
A poetic contraction; the apostrophe replaces the letter 'v'.
Pitfall
He walked oer the bridge.He walked o'er the bridge.The word requires an apostrophe to show that the letter 'v' has been removed.
Last updated May 3, 2026