Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

hello

/hɛˈloʊ/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.72 in modern English

Syllables: hel-lo
IPA: /hɛˈloʊ/

8

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

2

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

intj

A greeting (salutation) said when meeting someone or acknowledging someone’s arrival or presence.

intj

A greeting used when answering the telephone.

intj

A call for response if it is not clear if anyone is present or listening, or if a telephone conversation may have been disconnected.

intj

Used sarcastically to imply that the person addressed has done something the speaker considers to be foolish, or missed something that should have been obvious.

Colloquial

intj

An expression of puzzlement or discovery.

British usage

noun

"Hello!" or an equivalent greeting.

verb

To greet (someone) with "hello".

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"Hello, everyone."
"Hello? How may I help you?"
"Hello. This is Marsha. ― Yes, Marsha."
"Hello? Is anyone there?"
"I made a speaking trumpet of my hands and commenced to whoop “Ahoy!” and “Hello!” at the top of my lungs. […] The Colonel woke up, and, after asking what in brimstone was the matter, opened his mouth and roared “Hi!” and “Hello!” like the bull of Bashan."
"You just tried to start your car with your cell phone. Hello?"

Etymology

First attested in 1826. From holla, hollo (attested 1588). This variant of hallo is often credited to Thomas Edison as a coinage for telephone use, but its appearance in print predates the invention of the telephone by several decades. Ultimately from a variant of Old English ēalā, such as hēlā, which was used colloquially at the time similarly to how hey and (in some dialects) hi are used nowadays. Thus, equivalent to a compound of hey and lo. Used when drawing attention to yourself. Possibly influenced by Old Saxon halo, imperative of halōn (“to call, fetch”), used in hailing a ferryman, akin to Old High German hala, hola!, imperative forms of halōn, holōn (“to fetch”). For more information, see hallo. The Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster Dictionary also suggested that it is a variant of holla, a variant of holloo. Further beyond, the origin remains uncertain. OED and Merriam-Webster suggested that it has a connection between hallow (“to shout, to cry out loud”), which came from Old French holloer, which, according to Altfranzösisches Wörterbuch, is from Old Saxon halōn.

Origin

Source language: Old English
First known use: First attested in 1826

Word Breakdown

Root: ēalā

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /hɛˈloʊ/
British English: /həˈləʊ/

Usage

Inflected Forms

hullo (alternative, UK) hallo (alternative, UK) hollo (alternative, UK) hilloa (alternative, obsolete) hellos (plural) helloes (plural) hellos (present, singular) helloes (present, singular) helloing (participle, present) helloed (participle, past) helloed (past)

Derived Forms

helloji yello

Phrases

golden hello hello again hello girl hello nurse hello there Hello World hello yourself, and see how you like it say hello

Frequently Paired Words

adieu adios aloha arrivederci auf Wiedersehen au revoir badbye BCNU

Synonyms

adzooks ay caramba mirabile dictu chihuahua begorra bleeding heck bleeding Nora bless my heart bless my soul bless us blige

Antonyms

goodbye

Rhymes With

so no so-so know go show though oh ago low although co

Questions

How do you pronounce hello?: The recorded pronunciation is /hɛˈloʊ/.
What does hello mean?: A greeting (salutation) said when meeting someone or acknowledging someone’s arrival or presence.
Where does hello come from?: It is traced to Old English. First known use: First attested in 1826.

How to pronounce hello

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “hello”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/hɛˈloʊ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “hello”.
Repeat and practice — Say “hello” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.