hello noun

hel·lo | \hə-ˈlō, he-\

plural hellos

Definition of hello

: an expression or gesture of greeting —used interjectionally in greeting, in answering the telephone, or

to express surprise

hello there

waved hello

Synonyms & Antonyms

Example Sentences

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Synonyms & Antonyms for hello

Synonyms

greeting, salutation, salute, welcome

Antonyms

adieu, bon voyage, congé (also congee), farewell, Godspeed, good-bye (or good-by)Visit the Thesaurus
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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

Say hello to the Global Link, a personal communicator, scanner, and all-around smartphone-before-
smartphones with what’s, presumably, a roll-up display in its innards.

— Sean Hollister, The Verge, "Science fiction shows why Samsung’s folding phones might thrive," 14 Nov.
2018
At Pop’s, Jughead briefly says hello to Dilton and Ben (the same Ben who was Ms. Grundy’s student?),
who are playing some kind of game, before joining B, V, and A, who are strategizing re: finding the
weapon Andre used to kill Cassidy.

— Jessica Macleish, Teen Vogue, ""Riverdale" Recap Season 3 Episode 1: Does Archie Go to Jail?," 11 Oct.
2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current
usage of the word 'hello.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-
Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of hello

1834, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for hello

alteration of hollo

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Resources for hello

From the Editors at Merriam-Webster

hello

Where Does 'Hello' Come From?

Dictionary Entries near hello

hellkite

Hellman

hellmouth

hello

hell of a
hello girl

hell on wheels

Statistics for hello

Last Updated

1 Dec 2018

Look-up Popularity

Top 30% of words

Time Traveler for hello The first known use of hello was in 1834

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More Definitions for hello

hello noun

English Language Learners Definition of hello

—used as a greeting

: the act of saying the word hello to someone as a greeting

—used when you are answering the telephone

See the full definition for hello in the English Language Learners Dictionary

hello interjection

hel·lo | \hə-ˈlō, he-\

Kids Definition of hello

—used as a greeting or to express surprise

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More from Merriam-Webster on hello

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with hello

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hello

Spanish Central: Translation of hello

Nglish: Translation of hello for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of hello for Arabic Speakers

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