O (Cyrillic)

О (lowercase: о) is a letter in the Cyrillic script. It commonly represents the close-mid back rounded vowel /o/, similar to the pronunciation of "o" in the English word "go".

History and Origin:

The Cyrillic letter О is derived from the Greek letter Omicron (Ο, ο). Its form and phonetic value have remained relatively consistent throughout the development of the Cyrillic alphabet.

Usage:

О is a highly frequent and important letter in most Cyrillic alphabets, including Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Serbian, and Macedonian. Its pronunciation is typically /o/, though variations and reductions can occur depending on the specific language and phonetic environment. In unstressed positions, especially in Russian, it can be reduced to a schwa (/ə/) or a similar central vowel.

Forms:

The letter exists in both uppercase (О) and lowercase (о) forms. The visual difference is primarily one of size, with the uppercase form being larger.

Related Letters:

• Latin O, o: The Latin letter O is visually similar and shares a common ancestor in the Greek Omicron.
• Greek Omicron (Ο, ο): The direct predecessor of the Cyrillic О.