A guide to the language of history
History glossary
Understand the people, places and ideas behind the stories. Find a term, read its meaning, then explore it in context.
1–15 of 15 terms · O
Clear filtersOdin
a major Norse god associated with wisdom, war, poetry, magic, and rulership.
Old Kingdom
the early period of unified Egyptian history famous for strong kingship and pyramid building.
Oligarchy
a political system where a small group of powerful people controls government.
Omaha Beach
the American D-Day beach where strong German defenses caused especially heavy casualties.
Operation Cobra
the late July 1944 American breakout offensive near Saint-Lô that ended the Normandy stalemate.
Operation Fortitude
the Allied deception operation that helped convince Germany the main invasion would come away from Normandy.
Operation Overlord
the Allied campaign to invade Normandy, build a beachhead, and open a western front in France.
Operation Sea Lion
Nazi Germany’s planned 1940 invasion of Britain, dependent on defeating RAF Fighter Command and gaining air superiority.
Operation Typhoon
Germany's autumn 1941 offensive to capture Moscow before winter.
opium
an addictive drug derived from the opium poppy that became central to Britain's illegal trade into Qing China.
Oracle bone
a turtle shell or animal bone used by Shang kings for divination and inscribed with early Chinese writing.
oracle bones
inscribed bones or shells used in Shang divination and among the earliest evidence for Chinese writing.
Orthodox Christianity
the eastern branch of Christianity historically centered on Constantinople and other patriarchates.
Ostrogoths
a Gothic people who ruled Italy before and during Justinian's long Gothic War.
Ottoman Empire
a long-lasting empire ruled from Turkey that controlled much of the Middle East, North Africa, and southeastern Europe.
