O with Macron (Ō / ō) – How to Type O with Line Over It

When you see the letter “O with macron” (ō) — also commonly described as the “O with line over it” — you’re looking at a vowel character modified with a macron (¯), a horizontal line that signals a long vowel sound.

O with macron symbol (ō) appears in Latin, Māori, Hawaiian, Japanese romanization, and linguistics. It helps distinguish meaning, guide pronunciation, and clarify vowel length. In this guide, we’ll cover the pronunciation, symbol details and all the ways to type Ō/ō across devices and platforms.

Pronunciation and Sound

The letter ō (O with line over it) is just a special way of showing the long “o” sound.

Think of it like this:

• A short o is the sound you hear in the word pot.
• A long o (ō) is the sound you hear in words like go, no, or stone.

When you see the line over the O (that’s the macron), it’s a reminder to stretch the sound a little bit longer.

So instead of saying just oh, you say it like ohhh — smooth and extended, almost like you’re holding the note in a song.

In languages like Latin, Japanese, or Māori, making this sound longer isn’t just for style — it can actually change the meaning of a word. That’s why the macron is so important.

O with Macron Copy Paste Button

How to Type O with Macron (Ō, ō) on Different Platforms

If you’ve ever needed to type the O with macron (Ō, ō), you’ve probably noticed it’s not sitting right on your keyboard. The good news is, no matter what device you’re on—Windows, Mac, Linux, Word, Google Docs, or even your phone—there’s always a way to get it. Let’s break it down step by step.

Typing on Windows (Alt Codes & Character Map)

If you’re on a Windows computer and want to type Ō or ō, there are two easy ways to do it:

Using Alt Codes

This is like a secret keyboard trick. You’ll need a numeric keypad (the number pad on the right side of your keyboard).

• For Ō (capital O with macron) → Hold down Alt and type 332.
• For ō (small o with macron) → Hold down Alt and type 333.

Using Character Map

If Alt codes feel confusing, Windows has a built-in tool called the Character Map that works like a menu of all special letters.

1. Open the Start Menu and type Character Map in the search bar.
2. A small window will appear with a bunch of symbols.
3. Scroll until you find Ō or ō.
4. Click Select, then Copy.
5. Now you can paste it anywhere—Word, email, or even a chat with your friends.

How To Type O with Macron on Mac

If you’re using a Mac, typing Ō or ō is actually pretty simple. You’ve got two easy tricks:

The Option Key Method

Think of this like putting a little “hat” on top of the O.

• Hold down the Option (⌥) key and press A → this makes the macron line (¯).
• Then, type O or o right after it.
• Boom! You get Ō or ō.

The Emoji & Symbols Viewer

If you like menus instead of shortcuts, Macs have a special character menu:

1. Press Control + Command + Space at the same time.
2. A big panel with emojis and symbols will pop up.
3. In the search bar, type ō or just “macron.”
4. Double-click the letter you need, and it will drop right into your text.

Typing in Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint

If you’re using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint), you don’t need to be a “code master” to type Ō or ō. The apps already have the characters built in—you just have to know where to find them.

Using the Insert Menu

1. Go to the top menu and click Insert.
2. Choose Symbol → More Symbols.
3. A big list of letters and symbols will appear.
4. Change the set to Latin Extended-A (that’s where special letters live).
5. Scroll until you see Ō or ō, then click Insert.
6. Done! The character pops right into your document.

Use Alt Codes (Windows Only)

If you already know the Windows Alt codes, you can use them here too:

• Ō = Alt + 332
• ō = Alt + 333

Typing on Linux

If you’re on Linux, typing Ō or ō is done with something called Unicode. Don’t worry—it’s easier than it sounds. Think of Unicode like a secret “ID number” that every letter and symbol has.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Hold down Ctrl + Shift + U at the same time.
2. Let go, and you’ll see a little u pop up on your screen.
3. Now type the code:
   • 014C for Ō (big O with line over it)
   • 014D for ō (small o with a line over it)
4. Press Enter or Space—and boom, the letter appears.

On Mobile (Android and iPhone/iPad)

Typing o with macron on your phone is probably the easiest:

• Open your keyboard and press and hold the “O” key.
• A small menu of accented O’s will pop up: ó, ô, ö, ō, etc.
• Slide your finger over to ō and release.

And that’s it—you’ve got your O with macron, right from your mobile keyboard.

Unicode and HTML Codes for Ō / ō

Both Unicode and HTML entity codes are helpful for programmers, web developers.

Difference Between O with Macron and Regular O

At first glance, O and Ō look almost the same. The only difference is that little line on top (the macron). But trust me—that tiny line can make a big difference in how a word sounds and what it means.

• O (Regular O): This is just your everyday letter O. No special marks, just the regular vowel sound.
• Ō / ō (O with Macron): The line on top tells you the vowel should be longer or sometimes stressed more in certain languages.

Example: Tokyo vs. Tōkyō

• Tokyo → This is how we usually see it in English. It looks right, but it doesn’t tell you that the “o” sound should be long.
• Tōkyō → This shows the correct Japanese romanization. The macron tells you to hold the “o” sound longer, like Tohh-kyoh.

Conclusion

The O with macron (ō) may look like a simple letter with a line on top, but it plays a huge role in linguistics, language learning, and digital text.

• That line (the macron) tells you to say the vowel as a long O sound (like ohhh).
• It shows up in lots of languages—Latin, Japanese, Māori, Hawaiian, and even Pinyin for Chinese.
• And don’t worry, typing it isn’t hard: you can use Alt codes, Unicode, shortcuts on your computer, or just hold down the O key on your phone.

So next time you see the ō symbol, you’ll know it’s not just decoration—it’s a powerful little diacritic that changes pronunciation and meaning across languages.

Also Read : O with Two Dots Above it (Ö or ö)
O with Accent Mark Ò, Ó, Ô, Õ, Ö or ò, ó, ô, õ, ö