hello

[ he-loh, huh-, hel-oh ]
See synonyms for: hellohellos on Thesaurus.com

interjection
  1. (used to express a greeting, answer a telephone, or attract attention.)

  2. (an exclamation of surprise, wonder, elation, etc.)

  1. (used derisively to question the comprehension, intelligence, or common sense of the person being addressed): You're gonna go out with him? Hello!

noun,plural hel·los.
  1. the call “hello” (used as an expression of greeting): She gave me a warm hello.

verb (used without object),hel·loed, hel·lo·ing.
  1. to say “hello”; to cry or shout: I helloed, but no one answered.

verb (used with object),hel·loed, hel·lo·ing.
  1. to say “hello” to (someone): We helloed each other as though nothing had happened.

Origin of hello

1
First recorded in 1865–70; variant of hallo
  • Also especially British, hullo.

Words Nearby hello

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use hello in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for hello

hello

hallo or hullo

/ (hɛˈləʊ, hə-, ˈhɛləʊ) /


sentence substitute
  1. an expression of greeting used on meeting a person or at the start of a telephone call

  2. a call used to attract attention

  1. an expression of surprise

  2. an expression used to indicate that the speaker thinks his or her listener is naive or slow to realize something: Hello? Have you been on Mars for the past two weeks or something?

nounplural -los
  1. the act of saying or calling "hello"

Origin of hello

1
C19: see hallo

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012