Meaning
An expression of unity and shared humanity — used both as a principle, that all people are one, and as a warm parting blessing or sign-off. In Jamaican use it is sincere rather than throwaway, closer to a benediction than a casual 'see you later', rooted in the Rastafari teaching of the oneness of all people under Jah. Carried around the world by Bob Marley's 1977 song, it circulated in Rastafari speech well before, and abroad it is sometimes worn thin as a mere slogan.
Examples
-
Walk good, one love.
Take care, one love.
Common way to close a conversation or a message.
-
Wi haffi live wid one love inna di community.
We have to live with unity in the community.
-
One love, one heart, one destiny.
One love, one heart, one destiny.
The Rastafari formulation popularised worldwide through reggae.
Origin
Plain English words carrying a specifically Rastafari meaning: the oneness of humanity under Jah. Its global spread owes much to Bob Marley's 1977 recording, though the phrase circulated in Rastafari speech well before.
How it’s used
Sincere rather than throwaway in Jamaican use — closer to a blessing than to "see you later". Frequently reduced to a slogan on merchandise abroad, which can read as hollow to Jamaican speakers.