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• how do you do
  how do you do

  interjection

  (used as a conventional greeting.)
• how-do-you-do
  how-do-you-do

  noun

  a greeting; salutation.
• how do you do?
  how do you do?

  A conventional greeting used mostly after being introduced to someone, as in And this is our youngest—say “How do you do” to Mr. Smith. Although it is a question, it requires no reply. Originally, in the 1600s, this expression was an inquiry after a person's health or standing, how do you do meaning “how do you fare?” Today we usually express this as How are you? or How are you doing? or How goes it? or How's it going? Even more general are the slangy locutions How are things? or How's tricks? All of these greetings date from the first half of the 1900s.

how do you do

¹ American  

interjection

1. (used as a conventional greeting.)

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how-do-you-do ² American  

[hou-duh-yuh-doo] / ˈhaʊ də yəˈdu /

Also how-de-do

noun

Informal.

plural

how-do-you-dos

1. a greeting; salutation.

   She smiled and gave him a how-do-you-do fit for a king.

2. an awkward or unpleasant event or situation.

   It's a fine how-do-you-do that they've refused to help us out.

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how do you do British  

1. Also: how do?.   how d'ye do?.  a formal greeting said by people who are being introduced to each other or are meeting for the first time

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noun

1. informal a difficult situation

how do you do? Idioms  

1. A conventional greeting used mostly after being introduced to someone, as in And this is our youngest—say “How do you do” to Mr. Smith. Although it is a question, it requires no reply. Originally, in the 1600s, this expression was an inquiry after a person's health or standing, how do you do meaning “how do you fare?” Today we usually express this as How are you? or How are you doing? or How goes it? or How's it going? Even more general are the slangy locutions How are things? or How's tricks? All of these greetings date from the first half of the 1900s.

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Etymology

Origin of how-do-you-do

First recorded in 1625–35

Example Sentences

How do you do that with a Light Phone?

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

“The attention that gets put on the director is: How do you do the legislative piece? But really the most important piece is: How do you motivate and help grow young staffers?”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 27, 2024

How do you do your work if you are stopping to give food or first aid?

From BBC • Oct. 31, 2023

“It’s a question of producing more with less. How do you do that in a way that’s sustainable? How do you do that in a climate that’s changing?”

From Seattle Times • May 21, 2023

How do you do that, with the shrimp and your thumb?

From "Feed" by M.T. Anderson

Related Words

• hello
• nod
• ovation
• reception
• salute