hello

noun

hel·​lo hə-ˈlō How to pronounce hello (audio)
he-
plural hellos
: an expression or gesture of greeting
used interjectionally in greeting, in answering the telephone, or to express surprise
hello there
waved hello

Examples of hello in a Sentence

They welcomed us with a warm hello. we said our hellos and got right down to business
Recent Examples on the Web For the games, Monday would walk 200 feet to the stadium, say a high-tech hello to Steiner, and the two would call the action. Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2023 At a trail walk in Morin’s honor this month, that sentiment came in the form of hugs from strangers whom Patty said didn’t know her daughter well but had exchanged pleasantries — hellos and smiles — with the 37-year-old. Dan Belson, Baltimore Sun, 27 Aug. 2023 Fontenot and Liu bounded around the common spaces at the front of the mansion, giving out effusive hellos and introductions. Yiren Lu, New York Times, 31 May 2023 Pre-pandemic, the question was essentially a glorified hello, offering only a narrow window for a proper answer. Amina Khan Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2020 After the space was cleared by police, Ellis walked inside to cheers and hellos. Chris Kenning, USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2023 The two later attended the same high school, the Nashville School of the Arts, but didn’t really talk apart from exchanging hellos in the hallways. Joanna Slater, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Mar. 2023 Go ahead and soften the tension with a quick hello. Natalie B. Compton, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Mar. 2023 At Arm's Length Nominees Elizabeth Debicki and Julia Garner share a sweet hello. Kate Hogan, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hello.' 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 hollo

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hello was in 1834

Dictionary Entries Near hello

Cite this Entry

“Hello.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hello. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

hello

noun
hel·​lo hə-ˈlō How to pronounce hello (audio)
he-
plural hellos
: an expression or gesture of greeting
used in greeting, in answering the telephone, or to express surprise

More from Merriam-Webster on hello

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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