hello
hello
Pronunciation
First syllable (/hə/):
/h/: Voiceless glottal fricative (as in "hat")
/ə/: Schwa, a mid-central vowel (as in "sofa")
Second syllable (/loʊ/):
/l/: Alveolar lateral approximant (as in "light")
/oʊ/: Diphthong, a glide from a mid-back rounded vowel to a high-back rounded vowel (as in "go")
Word Form Variations
"Hello" primarily functions as an interjection or an informal noun. It does not have typical singular/plural forms like most nouns, nor does it have verb conjugations or adjective/adverbial forms in the same way.
Interjection: hello (most common use)
Noun: hello (referring to the greeting itself, e.g., "I gave him a quick hello.")
Plural (less common but possible): hellos (e.g., "There were many hellos exchanged.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Interjection
Definition 1: Used as a greeting to acknowledge the presence of another person or to initiate a conversation, often expressing friendliness or welcome.
Synonyms: Hi, hey, greetings, good day, howdy (informal)
Antonyms: Goodbye, farewell, adieu
Definition 2: Used to express surprise, call attention, or indicate that one has heard or understood something, sometimes with a tone of mild reproof if someone is not paying attention.
Synonyms: Excuse me, listen, psst, wake up, (colloquial) yo
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms, as it's an attention-getting device, but silence or ignoring could be seen as the opposite action.)
Noun
Definition 1: An act or instance of greeting someone with the word "hello."
Synonyms: Greeting, salutation, welcome, acknowledgment
Antonyms: Farewell, goodbye, departure, adieu
Definition 2: A verbal utterance of "hello" as a signal to begin communication, especially over a telephone or other communication device.
Synonyms: Opening, initiation, contact (in context of communication)
Antonyms: Disconnection, hang-up, termination (of communication)
Examples of Use
Books:
" 'Hello, beautiful,' he murmured, his voice a low rumble against her ear." (From a contemporary romance novel, exact title varies but common trope)
"The old man nodded gravely. 'Hello, young man. What brings you to this part of the woods?' " (From a fantasy novel, common dialogue initiation)
Newspapers:
"Residents were greeted with a friendly 'hello' from the newly elected mayor during her town hall meeting." (From a local newspaper article, e.g., The Daily Chronicle)
"In an effort to bridge cultural gaps, the school encouraged students to learn how to say 'hello' in five different languages." (From an educational section of a national newspaper, e.g., The New York Times)
Online Publications:
"Tech giant unveils new AI assistant: 'Say hello to your new personal helper!'" (From a technology news website, e.g., TechCrunch)
"Opinion: Why a simple 'hello' can make all the difference in customer service." (From a business or lifestyle blog, e.g., Harvard Business Review online)
"Photo Essay: From strangers to friends, captured moments of a shared 'hello' across the globe." (From an online travel or photography magazine, e.g., National Geographic online)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." (From The Princess Bride, 1987)
Television: "Hello, Newman." (Often spoken by Jerry Seinfeld to Newman in the sitcom Seinfeld, 1989-1998)
Music: "Hello, goodbye, hello, goodbye. You say yes, I say no." (From "Hello, Goodbye" by The Beatles, 1967)
Video Games: "Welcome, traveler. Say 'hello' to the tavern keeper if you need anything." (Common dialogue in role-playing games, e.g., The Elder Scrolls series)
Social Media: (Tweet) "Just landed! Hello, London! Excited for the conference. #travel #work" (User's personal Twitter account)
Podcasts: "Our next guest needs no introduction, but we'll say 'hello' anyway. Welcome, Dr. Jane Smith." (From an interview-based podcast)
General Public Discourse:
Face-to-face greeting: "Hello! How are you doing today?" (Common everyday interaction between acquaintances or strangers)
Telephone call: "Hello? Can you hear me?" (Standard opening when answering a phone)
Calling attention: "Hello? Is anyone home?" (When knocking on a door or trying to get someone's attention)
Expressing surprise/irony: "Well, hello there! Look what the cat dragged in." (Used humorously or sarcastically when someone unexpectedly appears)
10 Famous Quotes Using Hello
"Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." (Mandy Patinkin as Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride, 1987)
"Hello, darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again." (Paul Simon in "The Sound of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel, 1964)
"Hello, Dolly!" (Title song from the musical Hello, Dolly!, 1964)
"Hello, goodbye, hello, goodbye. You say yes, I say no." (The Beatles, "Hello, Goodbye," 1967)
"Hello, Newman." (Jerry Seinfeld to Newman in Seinfeld, 1989-1998)
"You had me at hello." (Renée Zellweger as Dorothy Boyd in Jerry Maguire, 1996)
"Hello, I love you, won't you tell me your name?" (The Doors, "Hello, I Love You," 1968)
"Hello, World!" (A traditional first program output for many programming languages, dating back to The C Programming Language by Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie, 1978)
"Hello, stranger. You don't look like you're from around here." (A common trope in Western films and literature, e.g., Shane, 1953)
"Hello out there! Is anybody home?" (Often used in popular culture to address an empty space or unresponsive audience, famously echoed in Pink Floyd's The Wall, 1979)
Etymology
The word "hello" has a surprisingly recent and interesting history! It's not as old as you might think.
It didn't start as a greeting in the way we use it today. "Hello" is actually a modified version of older words like "hallo," "hollo," and "holla." These words were used as shouts to get someone's attention or to express surprise. Think of it like shouting "Hey!" or "Listen!" if you saw something unexpected or wanted to hail someone from a distance, like a ferryman. Some sources trace these older forms back to Old High German roots related to "to fetch" or "to call."
The first known use of "hello" in print, with that exact spelling, was around 1827. At this time, it was still used more as an exclamation to grab attention or show surprise, not as a general greeting. For example, someone might exclaim, "Hello, what's going on here?"
The big shift for "hello" came with the invention of the telephone. When people started using phones in the late 1800s, they needed a standard way to start a conversation with someone they couldn't see. Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, actually preferred "ahoy" as the greeting. But it was Thomas Edison who strongly pushed for "hello" as the standard telephone greeting in the late 1870s. His suggestion caught on, and soon telephone operators (known as "hello-girls") adopted it.
So, while earlier forms of the word existed to get attention, "hello" as the common, everyday greeting we know today largely became popular because of the telephone.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Hello
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "hello":
Say hello: To greet someone. (e.g., "Go over and say hello to your aunt.")
A big hello: A warm or enthusiastic greeting. (e.g., "Give a big hello to everyone at the party for me!")
Well, hello there! An exclamation of surprise or a slightly flirtatious greeting.
To give a quick hello: To greet someone briefly. (e.g., "I just ran in to give a quick hello before leaving.")
Hello, stranger: A greeting used when encountering someone you haven't seen in a long time.
Hello, is anyone home? Used to call attention to someone who seems distracted or unresponsive.
Hello out there! A general call to an unseen audience or into a vast space.
You had me at hello: Expressing that someone won you over very quickly, often at the very beginning of an interaction. (From the movie Jerry Maguire)
Hello goodbye: Referring to a brief or fleeting encounter, or a quick change of mind. (From The Beatles song)
Hello, world! A traditional simple program output in computer programming, used to test a system or language.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of hello from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
