Hello (Aya Ueto song)
WordNet
noun
(1) An expression of greeting
"Every morning they exchanged polite hellos"
WiktionaryText
Etymology
from (attested 1840), from , (attested 1588). This variant of is often credited to Thomas Edison as a coinage for telephone use, but its appearance in print predates the invention of the telephone by several decades.
Possibly from the & verb , akin to or .
Interjection
- A greeting (salutation) said when meeting someone or acknowledging someone’s arrival or presence.
- Hello, everyone.
- A greeting used when answering the telephone.
- Hello? How may I help you?
- A call for response if it is not clear if anyone is present or listening, or if a telephone conversation may have been disconnected.
- Hello? Is anyone there?
- Used sarcastically to imply that the person addressed or referred to has done something the speaker or writer considers to be foolish.
- You just tried to start your car with your cell phone. Hello?
- An expression of puzzlement or discovery.
- Hello? What’s going on here?
Usage notes
- The greeting is among the most generic and neutral in use. It may be heard in nearly all social situations and in nearly all walks of life, and is unlikely to cause offense.
- In some languages and cultures the expression for is not a mere greeting but also includes a notion of well-wishing. For example, the Urdu greeting (āssālam ‘alaykum) means May peace be upon you.
Synonyms
- See also Wikisaurus:hello
Noun
- "Hello!" or an equivalent greeting.