English Lexicon

Hello

/həˈloʊ/
interjectionnounCEFR A1 (Beginner)Top #100 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As interjection
  1. 1

    A greeting used to begin a conversation.

    "When she entered the room, she smiled and said, 'Hello!'"
As noun
  1. 1

    An expression of greeting.

    "His cheerful hello brightened everyone's day."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The word 'hello' is believed to have originated in the early 19th century, possibly derived from the earlier forms 'holla' or 'hollo', which were used to attract attention. It gained popularity as a greeting with the advent of the telephone in the late 1800s.

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