hello

American  

[he-loh, huh-, hel-oh] / hɛˈloʊ, hə-, ˈhɛl oʊ /

interjection

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

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

3. (used derisively to question the comprehension, intelligence, or common sense of the person being addressed).

   You're gonna go out with him? Hello!

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noun

hellos plural

1. the call “hello” (used as an expression of greeting).

   She gave me a warm hello.

verb (used without object)

helloed, helloing

1. to say “hello”; to cry or shout.

   I helloed, but no one answered.

verb (used with object)

helloed, helloing

1. to say “hello” to (someone).

   We helloed each other as though nothing had happened.

hello British  

/ hə-, ˈhɛləʊ, hɛˈləʊ /

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

3. an expression of surprise

4. 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?

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noun

1. the act of saying or calling "hello"

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• hellos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of hello

First recorded in 1865–70; variant of hallo

Explanation

Hello! Hi! How are you doing? Hello is a salutation or greeting commonly used to begin conversations or telephone calls. Hello has been used as an English greeting since the 19th century. Most agree that it is related to the older French exclamation “Holà” — which means essentially “Ho there!” — like you might say to a horse to tell it to stop. Nowadays it’s still used to get someone’s attention but instead of stopping you’re starting something — usually a chat. Hallo and Hullo are variations of Hello used by British English speakers.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hello hellos helloed helloing

Or perhaps someone already rostered — hello, 22-year-old, skyscraping Adou Thiero — is waiting to wow us all in that role?

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

He looked out at Otsego Lake while several Hall of Famers stopped to say hello.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

"The queen came to say hello to us -- and I was wearing this dirty thing," said Margarita.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

The bubbly 28-year-old sits on the porch of a bungalow at the temple complex and says hello to the other women, who start trickling into the room.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

A stranger in a threadbare coat, and he doesn’t say hello or ask a question.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

Reyes said a few elderly people at the home would occasionally sit outside and exchange brief hellos with her from time to time.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2026

The government said it had increased the amount dentists get for NHS work and provided £20,000 golden hellos to get dentists to work in areas with the poorest access.

From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2026

The group greeted Reba with awkward hugs and stilted hellos.

From Salon ● Mar. 5, 2025

“At 15, it’s all hellos and later on there’s a lot more hard goodbyes,” he said.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 7, 2023

I wish time would hurry and there’d be sailboats tying up at the landing and tour buses passing through, and I’d already have the first hellos traded with Somebody Peterson, the girl next door.

From "Rules" by Cynthia Lord

NBC performers did their bits from Hollywood, the Secretary of the Navy and the Under Secretary of War spoke from Washington, NBC's newsmen in London, Manhattan and Buenos Aires helloed and jested by short wave.

From Time Magazine Archive

None of them helloed, and none of them returned my smile, and the colonel did not shake hands with me.

From How Private George W. Peck Put Down The Rebellion or, The Funny Experiences of a Raw Recruit - 1887 by Peck, George W. (George Wilbur)

At the edge of town where the houses became scattered and the road started to drop away into a deep valley some one helloed behind him.

From Windy McPherson's Son by Anderson, Sherwood

Hare reined in at the door and helloed.

From Heritage of the Desert by Grey, Zane

The bugler changed his notes and we knew he was wondering if we were coming, so Mr. Stewart helloed.

From Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Stewart, Elinore Pruitt

Illinois' Freshman Senator Chuck Percy was busily huddling and helloing.

From Time Magazine Archive

“I’ve no patience for all that helloing and chitchat about diapers! The baby’s on his way and there’s no time to waste. Incorrigibles, come!”

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Then one day, I’m helloing and next thing I know, I’m saying hello to Matt and Lance.

From "The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle" by Leslie Connor

"It's a shame to spoil it," replied David, "but I am afraid your Elf's Horn and Jean's helloing were just a coincidence."

From Grace Harlowe's Junior Year at High School Or, Fast Friends in the Sororities by Flower, Jessie Graham [pseud.]

After helloing for her without result, he climbed to the road.

From The Valley of the Moon by London, Jack