Related to a hell of a. Originally Northern California slang. Compare helluv, helluva.
Meanings
(Northern-California, not-comparable, slang) Intensifier, modifying verbs; to a large extent; totally; very much.
I can't tell you how much I hella love the new track.
Oh, today's Cyrell's bday. We hella sang her happy birthday at the spot.
Jane was driving away, and the door was open, so I hella ran for it.
You’re right. We hella deserve it. Splish splash!
Did you actually just say "hella"? I think I’m a good bad influence on you. 2016, Life Is Strange, spoken by Chloe Price (Hannah Telle as Max Caulfield and Ashly Burch), Square Enix, via Dontnod Entertainment:
(US, not-comparable, qualifier:potentially considered vulgar; African-American Vernacular; potentially considered vulgar; African-American Vernacular, regional, slang) Intensifier, modifying adjectives; to a large degree; extremely; exceedingly.
The storm got hella crazy and... and you said we would be safe at the lighthouse. 2016, Life Is Strange, spoken by Chloe Price (Ashly Burch), Square Enix, via Dontnod Entertainment:
"And to the fella over there / With the hella good hair / Won't you come on over, baby / We can shake, shake, shake" 2014, Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off”:
I've been a Star Wars fan since I was hella young.
Related to a hell of a. Originally Northern California slang. Compare helluv, helluva.
Meanings
(Northern-California, slang) An intensifier, signifying an abundance of a thing; much or many.
There are hella people here.
(“We practiced it hella times, but it’s new, and I can’t really get it on top of the music yet,” she explained.) 2023 August 20, Kelefa Sanneh, quoting Fatimah Nyeema Warner, “Noname’s Ambivalent, Triumphant Comeback”, in The New Yorker, →ISSN:
Now, let’s talk bidness.
I got nothing for you.
Wrong. You got hella cash. 2016, Life Is Strange, spoken by Chloe Price (Ashly Burch), Square Enix, via Dontnod Entertainment: