ahem
/əˈhɛm
/exclamation
Used to represent the noise made when clearing the throat, typically to attract attention or express disapproval or embarrassment: ahem, excuse me well, ahem, not exactly...
- If they had let me in flight deck while airborne, I'd only have distracted their work with my charm… ahem!
- And today comes further news of the - ahem - minor difficulties.
- As it happens, it was 6 months before I attended a book group session, and the book itself turned out to be about, ahem, spelling bees.
Origin
Mid 18th century: lengthened form of hem2.
Rhymes
- ophthalmological
- ophthalmologically
- ophthalmologist
- ophthalmology
- ophthalmometer
- ophthalmometric
- ophthalmometry
- ophthalmopathy
- ophthalmoplegia
- ophthalmoplegic
- ophthalmoplegy
- ophthalmoscope
- ophthalmoscopic
- ophthalmoscopical
- ophthalmoscopically
- ophthalmoscopist
- ophthalmoscopy
- ophthalmotonometry
- ophthalmotrope
- opi
- -opia
- opianate
- opianic acid
- opiate
- opiatic