lo aleinu

interjection

may it not happen to us; an expression that indicates a desire that a previously mentioned negative thing not happen again or effect anyone else

“"Did you hear? There was an antisemitic attack yesterday!" — "That's horrible! Lo aleinu!"”

Similar
God forbid
OriginYiddish לא־עלינו ← Hebrew לֹא עָלֵינוּ →
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Meanings

interjection

alternative loy aleinu · alternative loy aleynu · alternative loy oleynu

  1. Judaismmay it not happen to us; an expression that indicates a desire that a previously mentioned negative thing not happen again or effect anyone else

    "Did you hear? There was an antisemitic attack yesterday!" — "That's horrible! Lo aleinu!"

    Synonyms: God forbid

Synonyms & antonyms

interjectionmay it not happen to us; an expression that indicates a desire that a previously mentioned negative thing not happen again or effect anyone else

Similar
God forbid
Also see
absit omengod forbidheaven forbidheaven forfend

Origin

  1. Hebrewלֹא עָלֵינוּ“lit. (may it) not [be] upon us”
  2. Yiddishלא־עלינו
  3. Englishlo aleinu

From Yiddish לא־עלינו (loy oleynu) and Hebrew לֹא עָלֵינוּ (“lit. (may it) not [be] upon us”).

More words from Yiddish, Hebrew

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

lo aleinu. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lo%20aleinu

MLA

“lo aleinu.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lo%20aleinu. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lo aleinu,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lo%20aleinu.

Source: lo aleinu on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.