hello

Definitions

1interjectionA greeting used when meeting someone or starting a conversation.

Hello! How are you today?

She answered the phone with a cheerful 'hello'.

When he walked into the room, everyone said 'hello'.

Word Origin

Language

English

Originally meant

A greeting or expression of goodwill.

Background

The word 'hello' likely originated in the early 19th century as a variant of 'hallo' or 'hullo', which were used to attract attention. It became popular as a greeting with the advent of the telephone.