mimo

See also: MIMO, mimó, mimò, and mimo-

Czech

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Slavic *minǫti

Proto-Slavic *-mo

Proto-Slavic *mìmo

Old Czech mimo

Czech mimo

Inherited from Old Czech mimo, from Proto-Slavic *mìmo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmɪmo]

• Audio:

  (file)

Preposition

mimo [with accusative]

1. outside of, out of
2. aside from

Derived terms

• mimobuněčný
• mimochodem
• mimojaterní
• mimomanželský
• mimoň
• mimoolomoucký
• mimoparlamentní
• mimořádný
• mimoúrovňová křižovatka
• mimozemský
• mimozemšťan

See also

• vně

Further reading

• “mimo”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “mimo”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “mimo”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2026

Esperanto

Etymology

Back-formation from pantomimo, influenced by English mime, Italian mimo, French mime, Polish mim, Russian мим (mim), all from Latin mīmus, from Ancient Greek μῖμος (mîmos).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmimo/
• Rhymes: -imo
• Syllabification: mi‧mo

Noun

mimo (accusative singular mimon, plural mimoj, accusative plural mimojn)

1. mime, pantomime actor

   Synonym: pantomimisto

Further reading

• “mimo”, in Plena Ilustrita Vortaro de Esperanto [Complete Illustrated Dictionary of Esperanto], 2020, →ISBN
• “mimo”, in Reta Vortaro [Online Dictionary] (in Esperanto), 1997-2026

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmi.mo/
• Rhymes: -imo
• Hyphenation: mì‧mo

Etymology 1

From Latin mīmus.

Noun

mimo m (plural mimi, feminine mima)

1. mime

Noun

mimo m (plural mimi)

1. mockingbird
2. (biology) mime, mimic

Etymology 2

Verb

mimo

1. first-person singular present indicative of mimare

Further reading

• “mimo¹”, in Vocabolario Treccani on line (in Italian), Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana, 2026

Anagrams

• -immo

Latin

Noun

mīmō

1. dative/ablative singular of mīmus

Lower Sorbian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *mimo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmʲimɔ/

Adverb

mimo

1. past, over (ended)

Preposition

mimo [with genitive]

1. past (beyond in place)
2. without

   mimo źěła ― without work, unemployed

Synonyms

• (without): bźez

Further reading

• Muka, Arnošt (1921, 1928), “mimo”, in Słownik dolnoserbskeje rěcy a jeje narěcow (in German), St. Petersburg, Prague: ОРЯС РАН, ČAVU; Reprinted Bautzen: Domowina-Verlag, 2008
• Starosta, Manfred (1999), “mimo”, in Dolnoserbsko-nimski słownik / Niedersorbisch-deutsches Wörterbuch (in German), Bautzen: Domowina-Verlag

Old Czech

Alternative forms

• mímo

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Slavic *minǫti

Proto-Slavic *-mo

Proto-Slavic *mìmo

Old Czech mimo

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *mìmo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (13^th CE) /ˈmimo/
• IPA^(key): (15^th CE) /ˈmimo/

Preposition

mimo [with case]

1. outside; next to, beside, alongside [with genitive]
2. (with verbs of motion) around [with genitive]
3. denotes time; for, over [with accusative]
4. Denotes time; before
5. outside, aside from, except
6. despite, through
7. against
8. In comparisons, denotes exceptionality beyond
9. Denotes quantity; more than, over

Adverb

mimo

1. around, by

Descendants

• Czech: mimo

References

• Jan Gebauer (1903–1916), “mimo”, in Slovník staročeský (in Czech), Prague: Česká grafická společnost "unie", Česká akademie císaře Františka Josefa pro vědy, slovesnost a umění

Old Polish

Alternative forms

• miemo

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Slavic *minǫti

Proto-Slavic *-mo

Proto-Slavic *mìmo

Old Polish mimo

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *mìmo. First attested in the second half of the 14th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (10^th–15^th CE) /ˈmʲi(ː)mɔ/
• IPA^(key): (15^th CE) /ˈmʲimɔ/

Preposition

mimo [with accusative or (once) genitive]

1. (attested in Lesser Poland) used in comparitives; more than
   • 1401–1425, Karta Świdzińskiego, przekład psalmu 50‎^[2], Krakow:

     Okropisz miø, pane, yzopem y ocziscion bødø, zmigesz miø y nad, gl. mymo, sneeg vbielon, gl. byaly, bødø (super nivem dealbabor Psal 50, 9)

     [Okropisz mię, panie, izopem i oczyścion będę, zmyjesz mię y nad, gl. mimo, snieg ubielon, gl. biały, będę (super nivem dealbabor Psal 50, 9)]

   • 1930 [c. 1455], “Judith”, in Ludwik Bernacki, editor, Biblia królowej Zofii (Biblia szaroszpatacka)‎^{transliteration, transcription}, 5, 4:

     Przecz tako mymo wszitki gyne (prae omnibus), gisz bidlyø na wschod sluncza, cy wzgardzily mnø?

     [Przecz tako mimo wszytki jine (prae omnibus), jiż bydlą na wschod słuńca, ci wzgardzili mną]

   • Middle of the 15th century, Rozmyślanie o żywocie Pana Jezusa‎^[3], page 568:

     Vyathschey mylosczy mymo tey nykt nye moze myecz (maiorem hac dilectionem nemo habet Jo 15, 13), aby kto duschą svą dal prze przyaczyelye

     [Więtszej miłości mimo tej nikt nie może mieć (maiorem hac dilectionem nemo habet Jo 15, 13), aby kto duszę swą dał prze przyjaciele]

2. (attested in Greater Poland) denotes limit of time; longer than, more than, over
   • 1959 [1402], Henryk Kowalewicz, Władysław Kuraszkiewicz, editors, Wielkopolskie roty sądowe XIV-XV wieku, Roty poznańskie, volume I, number 528, Poznań:

     Jaco to swatczø, iaco Boguszka lankø trz[y]mala s *pogogem mimo trzi lata

     [Jako to świadczę, iako Boguszka łąkę trz[y]mała s pokojem mimo trzy lata]

3. (attested in Greater Poland) denotes location beyond reach; outside, beyond
   • 1959 [1397], Henryk Kowalewicz, Władysław Kuraszkiewicz, editors, Wielkopolskie roty sądowe XIV-XV wieku, Roty poznańskie, volume I, number 343, Poznań:

     Wawrzinecz ne mal nouego dzalu s Yanem mymo stare granicze

     [Wawrzyniec nie miał nowego działu s Janem mimo stare granice]

4. denotes proximal location; next to, alongside
   • Middle of the 15th century, Rozmyślanie o żywocie Pana Jezusa‎^[4], page 90:

     To drzeuo... bylo posvyączono sczyem Iesvcristvsovem mymo ye (ex Jesu Christi transitu... sanctificatur)

     [To drzewo... było poświęcono ściem Jesukrystusowem mimo je (ex Jesu Christi transitu... sanctificatur)]

5. (attested in Greater Poland) denotes people or things not taking part in an action; except, outside
   • 1960 [1432], Henryk Kowalewicz, Władysław Kuraszkiewicz, editors, Wielkopolskie roty sądowe XIV-XV wieku, Roty pyzdrskie, volume II, number 717, Pyzdry:

     Yako nye mam wyanczey listow mymo trzy

     [Jako nie mam więcej listow mimo trzy]

6. (attested in Greater Poland) despite, in spite of
   • 1861 [1398], Pismo poświęcone naukom, sztukom i przemysłowi‎^[5], volume III, Biblioteka Warszawska, page 34:

     Micolay prosil prze bok ('bog'), by mu othpustil *przisigą hy pirwe, hy druge esz do czwartego mimo prawo, a wosni gi hupominal

     [Miołaj prosił prze Bog, by mu otpustił przysi[ę]gę hy pirwe, hy drugie eż do czwartego mimo prawo, a woźny ji hupominał]

   • 1959 [1400], Henryk Kowalewicz, Władysław Kuraszkiewicz, editors, Wielkopolskie roty sądowe XIV-XV wieku, Roty poznańskie, volume I, number 441, Poznań:

     Bar wycupil membranø ot Bolika, an mimo to berze s nego przeprawne penandze

     [Bar wykupił membranę ot Bolika, an mimo to bierze s niego przeprawne pieniądze]

   • c. 1500, Wokabularz lubiński, Lubiń: inkunabuł Archiwum Archidiecezjalnego w Gnieźnie, sygn. Inc. 78d., page 33v:

     Contra mutuum pactum mymo pospolythy slvb

     [Contra mutuum pactum mimo pospolity ślub]

7. (attested in Greater Poland) used for naming additional, typically unforeseen events; beyond
   • 1888 [1407], Romuald Hube, editor, Zbiór rot przysiąg sądowych poznańskich, kościańskich, kaliskich, sieradzkich, piotrkowskich i dobrzyszyckich z końca wieku XIV i pierwszych lat wieku XV‎^[6], Greater Poland, page 88:

     Dzeczanczu wiszla latha mymo szemske vloszene

     [Dziecięciu wyszła lata mimo ziemskie ułożenie]

Descendants

• Polish: mimo
• Silesian: mimo

References

• Boryś, Wiesław (2005), “mimo”, in Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego (in Polish), Kraków: Wydawnictwo Literackie, →ISBN
• Mańczak, Witold (2017), “mimo”, in Polski słownik etymologiczny (in Polish), Kraków: Polska Akademia Umiejętności, →ISBN
• Bańkowski, Andrzej (2000), “mimo”, in Etymologiczny słownik języka polskiego [Etymological Dictionary of the Polish Language] (in Polish)
• Bożena Sieradzka-Baziur, et al., editors (2011–2015), “mimo”, in Słownik pojęciowy języka staropolskiego [Conceptual Dictionary of Old Polish] (in Polish), Kraków: IJP PAN, →ISBN
• Ewa Deptuchowa, et al., editors (2023), “mimo”, in Rozariusze z polskimi glosami. Internetowa baza danych [Dictionaries of Polish glosses, an Internet database] (in Polish), Kraków: Pracownia Języka Staropolskiego Instytut Języka Polskiego Polskiej Akademii Nauk

Old Slovak

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Slavic *minǫti

Proto-Slavic *-mo

Proto-Slavic *mìmo

Old Slovak mimo

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *mìmo. First attested in 1458.

Preposition

mimo

1. beside; alongside; around
2. Denotes lack of engagement with something, i.e. the law; around
3. except

Adverb

mimo

1. to the side
2. around

Descendants

• Slovak: mimo

References

• Majtán, Milan et al., editors (1991–2008), “mimo”, in Historický slovník slovenského jazyka [Historical Dictionary of the Slovak Language] (in Slovak), volumes 1–7 (A – Ž), Bratislava: VEDA, →OCLC

Polish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Slavic *minǫti

Proto-Slavic *-mo

Proto-Slavic *mìmo

Old Polish mimo

Polish mimo

Inherited from Old Polish mimo. By surface analysis, minąć + -mo.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ˈmi.mɔ/

• (Middle Polish) IPA^(key): /ˈmi.mɔ/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -imɔ
• Syllabification: mi‧mo

Preposition

mimo

1. despite, in spite of [with genitive or (less commonly) accusative]

   Synonyms: pomimo, wbrew

   [genitive] mimo złej pogody ― despite bad weather

   [accusative] mimo wszystko ― in spite of everything

2. (archaic) around (circumventing)

   Synonym: wokół

3. (Middle Polish) outside of, except

   Synonyms: poza, oprócz, z wyjątkiem

4. (Middle Polish) more than

   Synonym: ponad

5. (Middle Polish) before (earlier than)

   Synonym: przed

6. (Middle Polish) in comparison to

   Synonym: wobec

Derived terms

adverbs

• mimo woli

conjunctions

• mimo wszystko
• mimo że

particles

• mimo wszystko

prefixes

• mimo-

Trivia

According to Słownik frekwencyjny polszczyzny współczesnej (1990), mimo (preposition) is one of the most used words in Polish, appearing 30 times in scientific texts, 27 times in news, 37 times in essays, 21 times in fiction, and 11 times in plays, each out of a corpus of 100,000 words, totaling 126 times, making it the 473rd most common word in a corpus of 500,000 words.

Adverb

mimo (not comparable)

1. (archaic) around (circumventing)

   Synonym: wokół

2. (Middle Polish) forward, ahead

   Synonym: naprzód

Further reading

• “mimo”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎^[7] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• “mimo”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[8] (in Polish)
• Maria Renata Mayenowa, et al., editors (2010-2023), “mimo”, in Słownik Polszczyzny XVI Wieku [A Dictionary of 16th Century Polish]
• Wiesław Morawski (20.04.2023), “MIMO”, in Elektroniczny Słownik Języka Polskiego XVII i XVIII Wieku [Electronic Dictionary of the Polish Language of the XVII and XVIII Century]
• Samuel Bogumił Linde (1807–1814), “mimo”, in Słownik języka polskiego
• Aleksander Zdanowicz (1861), “mimo”, in Słownik języka polskiego, Wilno 1861
• J. Karłowicz, A. Kryński, W. Niedźwiedzki, editors (1902), “mimo”, in Słownik języka polskiego (in Polish), volume 2, Warsaw, page 986

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈmĩ.mu/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈmi.mu/

• Rhymes: -imu
• Hyphenation: mi‧mo

Etymology 1

Unknown.

Noun

mimo m (plural mimos)

1. an affectionate action or gesture, such as a cuddle

   Synonyms: cafuné, carinho, meiguice, quitute, quindim

2. gift, present

   Synonym: presente

Derived terms

• mimar
• mimo-de-vênus
• mimosa
• mimoso

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

mimo

1. first-person singular present indicative of mimar
2. first-person singular present indicative of mimir

Further reading

• “mimo”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “mimo”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *mimo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mîmo/
• Hyphenation: mi‧mo

Preposition

mȉmo (Cyrillic spelling ми̏мо) [with genitive]

1. by, past (of movement in relation to an object)
2. despite, in spite of (law, custom, agreement, hardship etc.; contrary to something established or expected)

Silesian

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Slavic *minǫti

Proto-Slavic *-mo

Proto-Slavic *mìmo

Old Polish mimo

Silesian mimo

Inherited from Old Polish mimo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmi.mɔ/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -imɔ
• Syllabification: mi‧mo

Preposition

mimo

1. despite, in spite of [with genitive]

   Synonyms: ôkrōm, krōm

2. around (circumventing) [with genitive]

   Synonyms: kole, wedle

Further reading

• mimo in silling.org

Slovak

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Slavic *minǫti

Proto-Slavic *-mo

Proto-Slavic *mìmo

Old Slovak mimo

Slovak mimo

Inherited from Old Slovak mimo, from Proto-Slavic *mìmo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mimɔ/, [ˈmimɔ]
• Rhymes: -imɔ
• Hyphenation: mi‧mo

Preposition

mimo [with genitive]

1. Denotes location; beyond, outside
2. Denotes maximum time; beyond
3. Denotes someone or something not engaged in an action; besides, outside, except
4. alongside, next to
5. except for; in addition to

Adverb

mimo (not comparable)

1. to the side

Further reading

• “mimo”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2026

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmimo/ [ˈmi.mo]
• Rhymes: -imo
• Syllabification: mi‧mo

Etymology 1

A sound-symbolic formation expressing affection. Some sources propose a link, at least partly, to Definition 2 (in the sense of actors in exaggerated/dramatic poses, including affectionate, then drifting).

Noun

mimo m (plural mimos)

1. caress, cuddle

Derived terms

• mimar
• mimoso

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

Ancient Greek μῖμος (mîmos)bor.

Latin mīmusder.

Spanish mimo

Derived from Latin mīmus, borrowed from Ancient Greek μῖμος (mîmos, “imitator, actor”).

Noun

mimo m or f by sense (plural mimos)

1. mime, mime artist (an actor or actress who practices mime)

Derived terms

• pulpo mimo

Etymology 3

Verb

mimo

1. first-person singular present indicative of mimar
2. first-person singular present indicative of mimir

Further reading

• “mimo”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), 24th edition, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 30 October 2026