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British

hi

¹

[ hahy ]

/ haɪ /

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See synonyms for hi on Thesaurus.com

interjection

(used as an exclamation of greeting); hello!

VIDEO FOR HI

Why Are There So Many Ways To Say "Hi"?

Why on Earth are there so many ways to say "hi"? Is it because greeting people is something we all do ... all the time? Probably.

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QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

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Origin of hi

¹

1425–75; late Middle English hy, perhaps variant of heihey

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH hi

hi , hie, high

Words nearby hi

hhd, HHFA, H-hinge, H-hour, HHS, hi, Hialeah, hiatus, hiatus hernia, Hiawatha, Hiawatha, The Song of

Other definitions for hi (2 of 4)

hi²

[ hahy ]

/ haɪ /

adjective

an informal, simplified spelling of high: hi fidelity.

Other definitions for hi (3 of 4)

HI

abbreviation

Hawaii (approved especially for use with zip code).

Meteorology. heat index. Also H.I.

Other definitions for hi (4 of 4)

H.I.

abbreviation

Hawaiian Islands.

Meteorology. heat index. Also HI

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use hi in a sentence

Somehow, these hi-def blurts led to collaborations with the likes of Vince Staples and Madonna, swiftly bringing Sophie’s happy maximalism to the greater pop listenership she’d always hoped to reach.
Sophie pushed feel-good music toward a boundary that might not exist|Chris Richards|February 1, 2021|Washington Post
A formal federal program could help by offering clear guidance on hi-fi masks.
Everyone should be wearing N95 masks now|Joseph G. Allen|January 26, 2021|Washington Post
She did the first one as a dry run a few weeks back, and it was fun to meet some Losers for the first time, as well as some loyal fans, and to say hi to some of the regulars.
Style Conversational Week 1420: Back to the vocal point|Pat Myers|January 21, 2021|Washington Post
Getting outside and saying hi to shops’ staff and being proactive are empowering tools against anxiety.
In spite of it, how to live our best winter|Tom Sommers|January 12, 2021|Washington Blade

You’re either in over-and-out mode, or you’re in hi-this-is-a-nice-video-recording-I-recorded-several-hours-ago mode, which is like email.
To Boldly Go Where No Internet Protocol Has Gone Before|Susan D'Agostino|October 21, 2020|Quanta Magazine
People we pass on the street, sit next to on the subway, say hi to at work every day.
‘High Maintenance,’ Like a Good High, Is Funny and Sometimes Unsettling|Caitlin Dickson|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Another person regrets not saying hi to Harry at the Gramercy Hotel.
The Cult of Blondie: Debbie Harry’s Very Special New York Picture Show|Tim Teeman|October 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And he said hi back and smiled and sort of patted the baby on the head and everything.
The Stacks: Grateful Dead I Have Known|Ed McClanahan|August 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Robin crossed to me from across the room, got down to my level, and whispered “Hi, how are you?”
Mara Wilson Remembers Robin Williams: We're All His Goddamn Kids|Mara Wilson|August 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Below is the email response I received: Hi, thank you but we respectfully decline.
You Don’t Hate Feminism. You Just Don’t Understand It.|Emily Shire|July 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Hi just hasked to learn your custom hin case hi did lose hany.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various
The former at least has been accentuated since yesterday, when your likeness to Hi struck me very painfully.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
"Hi, those foolish young men are getting ready to ride over here," said White Otter.
Three Sioux Scouts|Elmer Russell Gregor
The men is fair wild wid th' drink, and th' Rough Red is beside hi'self.
Blazed Trail Stories|Stewart Edward White
But mebbe up in heaven he will think of me and wait And holler "Hi!"
With the Colors|Everard Jack Appleton

British Dictionary definitions for hi (1 of 3)

hi¹

/ (haɪ) /

sentence substitute

an informal word for hello

Word Origin for hi

C20: originally US, from hiya

British Dictionary definitions for hi (2 of 3)

hi²

/ (haɪ) /

interjection

an expression used to attract attention

Word Origin for hi

C15 hy; compare hey

British Dictionary definitions for hi (3 of 3)

HI

abbreviation for

Hawaii (state)

Hawaiian Islands

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