o7

What Does o7 Mean in a Text?

image for o7, showing the saluting emoji

The emoticon "o7" is often used to represent a salute. The "o" part of the emoticon represents the head, and the "7" represents a saluting arm. It is commonly used in online conversations and text messages to show respect, as an acknowledgment, or to say goodbye in a humorous manner. For example:

  • Toni: I got top grades in all subjects.
  • Jo: o7. You're a beast!
  • Sam: I'll pick you up at 7. Don't be late!
  • Ali: o7. Yes boss!
  • Lee: Gotta dash. Will text later.
  • Mel: o7.

Of interest, this emoticon uses the left hand, which is the wrong hand, as saluting is typically done with the right hand. The original purpose of a salute was to show that the person giving it was not concealing a weapon (like a knife) in their hand. As most people are right handed (i.e., it's the hand most people would stab you with), salutes are done with the right hand.

Of course, the o7 emoji has largely been superseded by the salute emoji 🫡, but some "old-timers" still prefer to use emoticons, so don't be caught out! Other emoticons used to represent salutes include:
  • *S* = "Salute".
  • \\// = "Vulcan salute".
  • \M/ = "Metal salute".

Image for o7

When I write o7, I mean this:

meaning of o7

The emoticon o7 represents a salute.

Video Summarizing o7

Here's a short video explaining how to use o7:

Summary of Key Points

"I Salute You" is the most common definition for o7 on Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
o7
Definition:I Salute You
Type:Emoticon
Guessability:guessability level 3
3: Guessable
Typical Users:typical user

Adults and Teenagers

An Academic Look at o7

div class="imageBlock"> image of a teacher wearing a mortar board

"o7" is classified as emoticon. Emoticons are a way to show emotion in text-based communication. They consist of a small group of symbols arranged to show emotions, such as happiness, sadness, anger, and others, using the letters, numbers, and symbols usually found on a standard keyboard in a typographic approximation of the desired illustration. Emoticons have largely been made redundant on most messaging apps, as users now have access to a large number of emojis and most emoticons are automatically replaced with the corresponding emoji.