factually
Index/Topics/Origin and usage of the word 'hello'

Origin and usage of the word 'hello'

The word 'hello' is a basic English greeting with roots in older forms like hallo/holà, and its contemporary usage ranges from formal salutations to casual 'hi' and 'hey' variants.

Fact-Checks

2 results
Jan 26, 2026
Most Viewed

Bonjour

is the standard French greeting literally meaning "good day" (from bon "good" + jour "day") and is commonly used to say "hello," "good morning," or "good afternoon" in contexts . Its use spans formal ...

Feb 4, 2026

hey

A single-word greeting like "" is an informal conversational opener whose meaning depends on tone, context, and local usage; linguists and usage guides note that can signal greeting, surprise, or a pr...