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definitions

hi

1
[hahy]
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interjection

(used as an exclamation of greeting); hello!

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RELATED WORDS

letter, nod, ovation, salute, reception, hello, card, welcome, howdy, hail, salutation, blow, respects, acknowledgment, testimonial, aloha, note, notice, attention, rumble

Origin of hi

1
1425–75; late Middle English hy, perhaps variant of hei hey
Can be confusedhi hie high

hi

2
[hahy]

adjective

an informal, simplified spelling of high: hi fidelity.

HI

Hawaii (approved especially for use with zip code).

H.I.

Hawaiian Islands.
Meteorology. heat index.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for hi

Contemporary Examples of hi

Historical Examples of hi

  • As he approached the recumbent figure he yelled a panted "Hi, there!"

    The Woman-Haters

    Joseph C. Lincoln

  • "Hi, you—what's your name—Jennie Lind—come in here," he hailed.

    Mary-'Gusta

    Joseph C. Lincoln

  • It was clearly my duty to call his attention to it; so I said, "Hi!"

  • "Hi, Stella," said Mabel, up on one elbow and looking fuzzily at me.

  • Truth is, sir, Hi wanted to ask Miss Wallace what she would like for dinner.

    The Pirate of Panama

    William MacLeod Raine

British Dictionary definitions for hi

hi

1

sentence substitute

an informal word for hello

Word Origin for hi

C20: originally US, from hiya

hi

2

interjection

an expression used to attract attention

Word Origin for hi

C15 hy; compare hey

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
Word Origin and History for hi

greeting, 1862, American English (first recorded reference is to speech of a Kansas Indian), originally to attract attention (15c.), probably a variant of Middle English hy, hey (late 15c.) also an exclamation to call attention. Extended form hiya attested from 1940.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper