howdy

interjection

how·​dy ˈhau̇-dē How to pronounce howdy (audio)
used to express greeting
howdy verb

Examples of howdy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And, boy howdy, look how far and wide our food staple has reached since then. Rasputin Todd, The Enquirer, 12 Oct. 2022 Their neighbor walks up to say howdy, an unexpected event for the Californians. Shepard Price, San Antonio Express-News, 21 Sep. 2022 Say howdy to this low-stress, high-reward Woody costume that's sure to delight any little Pixar fan! Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 3 Aug. 2022 But rather by twists (howdy, Mr. Hourglass!) and alliances and better gameplay. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 10 Feb. 2022 And, boy howdy, was there ever plenty of giving going on. Chris Coplan, The Arizona Republic, 18 Oct. 2021 Boy howdy, this Gibbs-Parker relationship isn't getting easier. Sara Netzley, EW.com, 5 Oct. 2021 So, howdy. Thank you, Connecticut College, for this great honor and the class to 2017 for allowing me to join in this beautiful celebration. Time Staff, Time, 22 May 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'howdy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

alteration of how do ye

First Known Use

1712, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of howdy was in 1712

Dictionary Entries Near howdy

Cite this Entry

“Howdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/howdy. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!