hellohel‧lo (also hallo, hullo British English) /həˈləʊ, he- $ -ˈloʊ/ ●●● S1 interjection, noun [countable] 
Hello, John! How are you? Stanley, come and say hello to your nephew. Well, hello there! I haven’t seen you for ages.RegisterIn everyday English, in informal situations, people often say hi rather than hello:· “Hi, Karen.” “Hi, Richard. How are things with you?”2used when answering the telephone or starting a telephone conversation: Hello – may I speak to Anne?3used when calling to get someone’s attention: Hello! Is there anybody home?4used when you think someone is not acting sensibly or has said something stupid: You didn’t remember her birthday? Hello!5British English used to show that you are surprised or confused by something: Hello! What’s happened here?6say hello to have a quick conversation with someone: Promise you’ll look in and say hello when you have time.THESAURUShello used when you meet someone, or when you start a telephone conversation. In everyday English, most people usually say hi because it sounds more friendly. You use hello especially when talking to people you do not know well, or to older people: · Hello. Could I speak to someone in customer service, please?· Hello, Mrs Jones. How are you?hi used as a friendly greeting when you meet someone start a telephone conversation, or at the beginning of an email: · Hi, Gwen – did you have a nice weekend?· Hi everybody.hey especially American English informal used as a friendly greeting when you see someone you know well and you want to start talking to them: · Hey, Scott! What’s up, buddy?hiya informal used as a very informal greeting when speaking to someone you know well: · Hiya, Jake. How’s it going?good morning/good afternoon/good evening used when meeting someone at a particular time of day. In everyday English, people usually just say Morning!, Afternoon! etc: · Good morning, class!· Morning everyone. Sorry I’m late.· Good afternoon, Mr Smith.how are you? (also how are you doing?/how’s it going? informal) used when you are greeting someone and starting a conversation: · How’s it going Tom? I haven’t seen you for ages.· Hi Helen. How are you doing? Is the new job going well?how do you do? formal used when you meet someone for the first time, especially after you have just been told their name. How do you do sounds very formal. These days in everyday English, people often say hi when meeting someone for the first time: · ‘John, I’d like you to meet our new project manager, Nisha Patel.’ ‘How do you do?’pleased/good/nice to meet you used when you meet someone for the first time and have just been told their name: · ‘Richard, this is my brother Ronnie.’ ‘Nice to meet you, Ronnie.’· ‘My name is Lena Curtis.’ ‘Pleased to meet you, I’m David Bennet.’· Mrs Parrish, it’s good to meet you after hearing Lynn talk so much about you.
WORD ORIGINhello
Origin:
1800-1900 hollo a shout to call attention (16-19 centuries)EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Hello! How are you doing?
- Hello! Is anybody home?
- Hello, may I speak to Terry, please?
- You really thought she would just give you the money? Hello?
THESAURUS
used when you meet someone, or when you start a telephone conversation. In everyday English, most people usually say hi because it sounds more friendly. You use hello especially when talking to people you do not know well, or to older people: · Hello. Could I speak to someone in customer service, please?· Hello, Mrs Jones. How are you?
used as a friendly greeting when you meet someone start a telephone conversation, or at the beginning of an email: · Hi, Gwen – did you have a nice weekend?· Hi everybody.
especially American English informal used as a friendly greeting when you see someone you know well and you want to start talking to them: · Hey, Scott! What’s up, buddy?
informal used as a very informal greeting when speaking to someone you know well: · Hiya, Jake. How’s it going?
used when meeting someone at a particular time of day. In everyday English, people usually just say Morning!, Afternoon! etc: · Good morning, class!· Morning everyone. Sorry I’m late.· Good afternoon, Mr Smith.
(also how are you doing?/how’s it going? informal) used when you are greeting someone and starting a conversation: · How’s it going Tom? I haven’t seen you for ages.· Hi Helen. How are you doing? Is the new job going well?
formal used when you meet someone for the first time, especially after you have just been told their name. How do you do sounds very formal. These days in everyday English, people often say hi when meeting someone for the first time: · ‘John, I’d like you to meet our new project manager, Nisha Patel.’ ‘How do you do?’
used when you meet someone for the first time and have just been told their name: · ‘Richard, this is my brother Ronnie.’ ‘Nice to meet you, Ronnie.’· ‘My name is Lena Curtis.’ ‘Pleased to meet you, I’m David Bennet.’· Mrs Parrish, it’s good to meet you after hearing Lynn talk so much about you.
Longman Language Activatorways to say hello · Hello, Sally. How are you doing today?· Hello. Could I speak to someone in customer service?· "Hello, Mr Decker." "Hello, John. I didn't expect to see you here."
informal /hiya informal, /hey American informal say this when you are greeting someone, especially a friend or relative. Hiya and hey are more informal than hi , and you say them to people you know very well: · Hi, Gwen - did you have a nice weekend?· Hi. I'm just calling to see if you'd like to come over for dinner tonight.· Hiya, Jake. How's it going?· Hey, Scott. What's up, buddy?
informal hey there American informal say this when you are greeting someone, especially someone you did not expect to see: · Hi there, Mark! Did you have trouble getting here?· Hey there, stranger. We haven't seen you around here for a long time.
/how's it going? informal say this when you are greeting someone and starting a conversation: · How's it going, Tom? I haven't seen you for a long time.· Morning, Bob. How are you today?· Hi, Val. How are you doing? Did you get the job?
say this as a quick greeting at a particular time of day, especially when you work with the person you are greeting and see them regularly: · Morning, everyone. Sorry I'm late.· Afternoon, Sheila - got time for a quick cup of coffee?· Evening, all! Can I buy anyone a drink?
formal say this to greet someone at a particular time of the day: · Good afternoon. I have a three o'clock appointment with Ms. Davis.· Good morning, class! To start with I have a couple of announcements.· Good evening, Ray. Let me introduce David Bruce.
ways to say hello to someone when you first meet them · "Dad, this is Kevin." "Hello, Kevin. Andrea's told me a lot about you."hello, I'm.../hello, my name's... · Hello, I'm Alan Simmons. I work in the production team.
say this when you meet someone for the first time and have just been told their name: · "Richard, this is my brother Ronnie." "Nice to meet you, Ronnie."· Mrs. Parrish, it's good to meet you after hearing Lynn talk so much about you.· "My name is Lena Curtis." "Pleased to meet you, I'm David Bennet."
formal say this when you are meeting someone for the first time, especially when you have just been told their name: · How do you do, sir. My name is Greg Dunbar.· "Sue, this is Mr. Vance." "Oh, how do you do."
ways to ask someone to say hello to someone else for you · By the way, Dad says hi!say hello/say hi (for sb) to · I'd better go now. Say hello to Shelley for me, will you?
to ask someone to give your loving greetings to someone else when they see them, write to them etc: · Nick's sorry he couldn't be here, but he sends his love.send your love to: · Aunt Mary sends her love to you and the children.
to ask someone to give your greetings to someone else when they see them, write to them etc: · I talked to Steven on the phone the other day and he sends his regards.
also give somebody my love/regards use this to ask someone to give your greetings to someone else when they see them, write to them etc - use give my love to somebody especially about family or close friends: · Give my love to your mother when you see her.· Have a wonderful evening and give Tim my regards.
to say hello to someone · The two men said hello and shook hands.· I saw Mrs Trevors in the village, and she didn't even say hello!· I just wanted to call and say hello and find out how you're doing.
to say hello to someone when they arrive, showing that you are pleased to see them: · She greeted each of the guests as they came through the door.· Mr Grimshaw got up from behind his desk to greet me and offer me a chair.
the words you use to say hello to someone when they arrive and show that you are pleased to see them: · Michelle shouted out a greeting from across the room.· Siegfried bustled in, muttered a greeting, and began to pour his coffee.exchange greetings (=greet someone and be greeted by them): · Jim paused next to the fence to exchange greetings with his neighbor on the other side.
to greet someone who has arrived for the first time in your town, home, office etc, and show that you are glad they have come: · The visitors were welcomed at reception and shown where to go.· Texans tend to welcome newcomers and go out of their way to be friendly.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Stanley, come and say hello to your nephew. Well, hello there! I haven’t seen you for ages.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
Stanley, come and say hello to your nephew. Well, hello there! I haven’t seen you for ages.· I came to say goodbye.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1used as a greeting when you see or meet someone: - As she came level, I got to my feet and said hello.
- But could he come over and say hello to the money machine of the lousy network?
- I'd come in from school and he wouldn't say hello to me.
- I am quite new to this area and only know people to say hello to.
- I boarded the Five McAllister, forgetting to say hello to the cheery Muni driver.
- I said hello and sat down on a stack of C-ration cases.
- I waited for him to come into my room and say hello.
- Then he sat down next to the old man and said hello.
Hello, John! How are you? Stanley, come and say hello to your nephew. Well, hello there! I haven’t seen you for ages.RegisterIn everyday English, in informal situations, people often say hi rather than hello:· “Hi, Karen.” “Hi, Richard. How are things with you?”2used when answering the telephone or starting a telephone conversation: Hello – may I speak to Anne?3used when calling to get someone’s attention: Hello! Is there anybody home?4used when you think someone is not acting sensibly or has said something stupid: You didn’t remember her birthday? Hello!5British English used to show that you are surprised or confused by something: Hello! What’s happened here?6say hello to have a quick conversation with someone: Promise you’ll look in and say hello when you have time.THESAURUShello used when you meet someone, or when you start a telephone conversation. In everyday English, most people usually say hi because it sounds more friendly. You use hello especially when talking to people you do not know well, or to older people: · Hello. Could I speak to someone in customer service, please?· Hello, Mrs Jones. How are you?hi used as a friendly greeting when you meet someone start a telephone conversation, or at the beginning of an email: · Hi, Gwen – did you have a nice weekend?· Hi everybody.hey especially American English informal used as a friendly greeting when you see someone you know well and you want to start talking to them: · Hey, Scott! What’s up, buddy?hiya informal used as a very informal greeting when speaking to someone you know well: · Hiya, Jake. How’s it going?good morning/good afternoon/good evening used when meeting someone at a particular time of day. In everyday English, people usually just say Morning!, Afternoon! etc: · Good morning, class!· Morning everyone. Sorry I’m late.· Good afternoon, Mr Smith.how are you? (also how are you doing?/how’s it going? informal) used when you are greeting someone and starting a conversation: · How’s it going Tom? I haven’t seen you for ages.· Hi Helen. How are you doing? Is the new job going well?how do you do? formal used when you meet someone for the first time, especially after you have just been told their name. How do you do sounds very formal. These days in everyday English, people often say hi when meeting someone for the first time: · ‘John, I’d like you to meet our new project manager, Nisha Patel.’ ‘How do you do?’pleased/good/nice to meet you used when you meet someone for the first time and have just been told their name: · ‘Richard, this is my brother Ronnie.’ ‘Nice to meet you, Ronnie.’· ‘My name is Lena Curtis.’ ‘Pleased to meet you, I’m David Bennet.’· Mrs Parrish, it’s good to meet you after hearing Lynn talk so much about you.