hello

A greeting (salutation) said when meeting someone or acknowledging someone’s arrival or presence.

Interjection

  1. A greeting (salutation) said when meeting someone or acknowledging someone’s arrival or presence.
    • Hello, everyone.
  2. A greeting used when answering the telephone.
    • Hello? How may I help you?
    • Hello. This is Marsha. ― Yes, Marsha. - 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)
  3. A call for response if it is not clear if anyone is present or listening, or if a telephone conversation may have been disconnected.
    • Hello? Is anyone there?
    • I made a speaking trumpet of my hands and commenced to whoop “Ahoy!” and “Hello!” at the top of my lungs. […] The Colonel woke up, and, after asking what in brimstone was the matter, opened his mouth and roared “Hi!”...
  4. Used sarcastically to imply that the person addressed has done something the speaker considers to be foolish, or missed something that should have been obvious.
    • You just tried to start your car with your cell phone. Hello?
    • Uh, hello? We're using a CANNON to get to the moon? Isn't that, like, dangerous? - 2004, Intelligent Systems, translated by Nintendo of America, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Nintendo, GameCube, level/area:...
  5. An expression of puzzlement or discovery.
    • Hello! What’s going on here?

Origin

Hello (first attested in 1826), from holla, hollo (attested 1588). This variant of hallo is often credited to Thomas Edison as a coinage for telephone use, but its appearance in print predates the invention of the telephone by several decades. Ultimately from a variant of Old English ēalā, such as hēlā, which was used colloquially at the time similarly to how hey and (in some dialects) hi are used nowadays. Thus, equivalent to a compound of hey and lo. Used when drawing attention to yourself. Possibly influenced by Old Saxon halo!, imperative of halōn (“to call, fetch”), used in hailing a ferryman, akin to Old High German hala, hola!, imperative forms of halōn, holōn (“to fetch”). More at hallo. OED and Merriam-Webster also suggested that it is a variant of holla, a variant of holloo. Further beyond, the origin remains uncertain. OED and Merriam-Webster suggested that it has a...

Forms

hallo hilloa hullo

Synonyms

g'day hey hi hallo hiya ey up you alright alright howdy how's it going howzit wassup what's up yo sup what's good wow ciao good morning good day good evening good morrow greetings heaveno

Antonyms

bye goodbye

Derived

golden hello hello again hello girl helloji hello nurse hello there Hello World hello yourself, and see how you like it say hello yello

Noun

  1. "Hello!" or an equivalent greeting.
    • They gave each other a quick hello when they met, and went back on their merry ways.
    • In many new buildings, though, neighbors are venturing beyond tight-lipped hellos at the mailbox. - 2007 April 29, Stephanie Rosenbloom, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”, in New York Times:

Forms

hellos helloes hallo hilloa hullo

Synonyms

greeting

Derived

say hello to my little friend

Verb

  1. To greet with "hello".
    • She is there guarding and looking after the candy and the children generally, and she helloes and renders an exclamation that Maidie is crossing the street. - 1891, Records and Briefs in Cases Decided by the Supreme...
    • He helloes to my daughter:[…] - 1927, Ohio State Engineer, page 18:
    • ‘Hello Minka! Great to meet you!’ Minka seems nonplussed at what I thought was an uncontroversial opening remark. There’s an awkward pause. She then helloes me back. But that’s all I get. - 2012, Mark Dolan, Do You Mind...

Forms

hellos helloes helloing helloed hallo hilloa hullo