On the 15th day of Movember — the month in which men worldwide grow moustaches to raise funds for prostate cancer research and awareness — I thought it fitting to explore the word “mo.” In this context, Mo is Australian slang for moustache.

This month, a bunch of guys at work are sporting Mos (and calling themselves Mo Bros) to raise awareness of (and money for) men’s health issues. Something like a 5K race or, my childhood favorite, Jump Rope for Heart, Movember participants collect donations in exchange for growing a Mo. And the Mo-prostate connection makes sense. There’s only one thing more manly than a moustache, right?!

Have a gander at the Movember US home page for info., hilarious video clips and other fun toys. This site is really well-designed and creative, and it’s got a lot of funny time-suck material. I’m partial to the Mo Barber Shop, where you can upload a photo of yourself and see how you’d look with a Mo. Here I am with a “wispy”:

Circus ready, folks. Thank gawd for my German ancestry!

If you’re intrigued with Mo terminology, as I am, you should check out the MO-xford Dictionary and get ready to crack up! And, if you’re passionate about mustache history, you can visit one of my new favorite blogs, Moustaches of the Nineteenth Century.

Since “Mo” is a slang term, there’s not much etymology to be found (despite the apparent wealth of moustache-related Web properties). That’s OK, though. Sometimes we get to be new critics of words. And anyway, if the word “Mo” offers us a fun way to help others, then I’m all about it.

- N