hi en · INTJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
American English. First recorded reference is to speech of a Kansas Indian (1862); originally to attract attention, probably a variant of Middle English hey, hy (circa 1475). Also an exclamation to call attention. See hey.
Meanings
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A friendly, informal, casual greeting said upon someone's arrival.
Anna: Pete, hi! Hi, we are here! — Pete: Hi, Anna! Hi, Marsha! — Anna: Hi! — Pete: How are you two? — Marsha: I am great!
2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)Hi, how are you?
When out on the prairie, up galloped an Indian on his pony with his saluting "hi!"
1862, Miriam Davis Colt, Went to Kansas, L. Ingalls & Company, →ISBN, page 143:I just dropped by to say “hi”.
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An exclamation to call attention.
'Come back now!' shouted Sam. 'Hi! Come back!' But Gollum had vanished.
1954, J. R. R. Tolkien, The Two Towers:I made a speaking trumpet of my hands and commenced to whoop “Ahoy!” and “Hello!” at the top of my lungs. […] The Colonel woke up, and, after asking what in brimstone was the matter, opened his mouth and roared “Hi!” and “Hello!” like the bull of Bashan.
1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
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(qualifier:dated outside of Ireland) Expressing wonder or derision.
That’s mad, hi!
How did he do that, hi?
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| heigh | alternative | lexicographic |
Deriveds
hi there · bonjour/hi · hi-bye friend · rehi
Descendants
हेलो · hai · hai · hi · 嗨 · hi · ഹായ് · hai · hæ
Synonyms
Translations (190)
ta வணக்கம் (friendly, informal greeting) · sk ahoj (friendly, informal greeting) · mns-nor паща (friendly, informal greeting) · ga haigh (friendly, informal greeting) · fr salut (friendly, informal greeting) · ar هلا (friendly, informal greeting) · sh zdrȁvo (friendly, informal greeting) · smn tiervâ (friendly, informal greeting) · de grüezi (friendly, informal greeting) · ca hola (friendly, informal greeting) · lv sveika (friendly, informal greeting) · kk сәлем (friendly, informal greeting) · fo halló (friendly, informal greeting) · bg здра́сти (friendly, informal greeting) · zh 你好 (friendly, informal greeting) · et tere (friendly, informal greeting) · sw salaam (friendly, informal greeting) · wa bondjoû (friendly, informal greeting) · os салам (friendly, informal greeting) · lo ສະບາຍດີ (friendly, informal greeting) · he שָׁלוֹם (friendly, informal greeting) · ro salut (friendly, informal greeting) · be здаро́ў (friendly, informal greeting) · nb hei (friendly, informal greeting) · bg здраве́й (friendly, informal greeting) · tl helo (friendly, informal greeting) · ug سالام (friendly, informal greeting) · ja よう (friendly, informal greeting) · mn сайн байна уу? (friendly, informal greeting) · id hai (friendly, informal greeting) · km សួស្តី (friendly, informal greeting) · et tervist (friendly, informal greeting) · sl žívjo (friendly, informal greeting) · cy siwmae (friendly, informal greeting) · cs nazdar (friendly, informal greeting) · os арфӕ (friendly, informal greeting) · sv hallå (friendly, informal greeting) · sv hej! (friendly, informal greeting) · kmr merheba (friendly, informal greeting) · et hei (friendly, informal greeting) · el γεια (friendly, informal greeting) · la ave (friendly, informal greeting) · da hej! (friendly, informal greeting) · tpi gude (friendly, informal greeting) · sl zdrávo (friendly, informal greeting) · hy բարև (friendly, informal greeting) · af haai (friendly, informal greeting) · mn сайн уу? (friendly, informal greeting) · ru здра́сте (friendly, informal greeting) · eo saluton (friendly, informal greeting) · bn সালাম (friendly, informal greeting) · ar قوة (friendly, informal greeting) · ur سَلام عَلَیکُم (friendly, informal greeting) · ia salute (friendly, informal greeting) · lt labas (friendly, informal greeting) · my မင်္ဂလာပါ (friendly, informal greeting) · gl ola (friendly, informal greeting) · sh бок (friendly, informal greeting) · kri kusheh (friendly, informal greeting) · sh ха̀ло (friendly, informal greeting) · tr selam (friendly, informal greeting) · is hæ (friendly, informal greeting) · fa دُرود (friendly, informal greeting) · zh 你好 (friendly, informal greeting) · wa a (friendly, informal greeting) · uk приві́т (friendly, informal greeting) · lv sveikas (friendly, informal greeting) · ms hai (friendly, informal greeting) · srn fa (friendly, informal greeting) · de sali (friendly, informal greeting) · gd shin thu (friendly, informal greeting) · gd hòigh (friendly, informal greeting) · hi सलाम (friendly, informal greeting) · zh 嗨 哈囉 /哈啰 (friendly, informal greeting) · sh ћа̑о (friendly, informal greeting) · sh hàlo (friendly, informal greeting) · lv sveiki (friendly, informal greeting) · th หวัดดี (friendly, informal greeting) · ia hallo (friendly, informal greeting) · be прыве́т (friendly, informal greeting) · ky салам (friendly, informal greeting) · hak 你好 (friendly, informal greeting) · scn sabbinirìca (friendly, informal greeting) · kmr selam (friendly, informal greeting) · ur آداب (friendly, informal greeting) · de 'n Tag (friendly, informal greeting) · sk čau (friendly, informal greeting) · oj boozhoo (friendly, informal greeting) · ba сәләм (friendly, informal greeting) · vo glidis! (friendly, informal greeting) · pt e ai? (friendly, informal greeting) · ja どうも (friendly, informal greeting) · uk се́рвус (friendly, informal greeting) · lv sveiks (friendly, informal greeting) · tr merhaba (friendly, informal greeting) · sh ме̏рха̄ба (friendly, informal greeting) · de hoi (friendly, informal greeting) · it ciao (friendly, informal greeting) · oc adieu (friendly, informal greeting) · hu szia (friendly, informal greeting) · pt alô (friendly, informal greeting) · fo hey (friendly, informal greeting) · cs čau (friendly, informal greeting) · fi terve (friendly, informal greeting) · ar مَرْحَبَا (friendly, informal greeting) · sw jambo (friendly, informal greeting) · fi hei (friendly, informal greeting) · sv tjena (friendly, informal greeting) · es hola (friendly, informal greeting) · ale aang (friendly, informal greeting) · ems cama’i (friendly, informal greeting) · ar السلام (friendly, informal greeting) · tk salam (friendly, informal greeting) · gd shin sibh (friendly, informal greeting) · ar سَلَام (friendly, informal greeting) · ru здоро́во (friendly, informal greeting) · se dearvva (friendly, informal greeting) · sk nazdar (friendly, informal greeting) · lt sveikas (friendly, informal greeting) · sh здра̏во (friendly, informal greeting) · fi moi (friendly, informal greeting) · eo sal (friendly, informal greeting) · ti ሰላም (friendly, informal greeting) · ar أَهْلًا (friendly, informal greeting) · hi हाइ (friendly, informal greeting) · th สวัสดี (friendly, informal greeting) · ko 안녕 (friendly, informal greeting) · mt ejj (friendly, informal greeting) · lo ເຮີຍ (friendly, informal greeting) · eu kaixo (friendly, informal greeting) · nb heisan (friendly, informal greeting) · hi नमस्ते (friendly, informal greeting) · pt olá (friendly, informal greeting) · srn ofa (friendly, informal greeting) · az salam (friendly, informal greeting) · nl hoi (friendly, informal greeting) · tzj coli (friendly, informal greeting) · ps سلام (friendly, informal greeting) · cs ahoj (friendly, informal greeting) · wuu 儂好 /侬好 (friendly, informal greeting) · la salve (friendly, informal greeting) · cdo 汝好 (friendly, informal greeting) · ne नमस्ते (friendly, informal greeting) · ms salam (friendly, informal greeting) · uz salom (friendly, informal greeting) · da dav (friendly, informal greeting) · ar مَرْحَبًا (friendly, informal greeting) · abs oe (friendly, informal greeting) · cs čus (friendly, informal greeting) · ru приве́т (friendly, informal greeting) · sh mȅrhāba (friendly, informal greeting) · kk салам (friendly, informal greeting) · ar أهلاً (friendly, informal greeting) · nl hi (friendly, informal greeting) · is halló (friendly, informal greeting) · ast ei (friendly, informal greeting) · id salam (friendly, informal greeting) · ja こんにちは (friendly, informal greeting) · mk здраво (friendly, informal greeting) · pl hej (friendly, informal greeting) · ka გამარჯობა (friendly, informal greeting) · sv tja (friendly, informal greeting) · sv hejsan (friendly, informal greeting) · sh bok (friendly, informal greeting) · ar هلا (friendly, informal greeting) · am ሰላም (friendly, informal greeting) · fa سَلام (friendly, informal greeting) · ja やあ (friendly, informal greeting) · axx vâsgatzo (friendly, informal greeting) · ur اَلسَّلامُ عَلَیکُم (friendly, informal greeting) · ro bună (friendly, informal greeting) · da hallo (friendly, informal greeting) · cs zdar (friendly, informal greeting) · se bures (friendly, informal greeting) · he היי (friendly, informal greeting) · pt oi (friendly, informal greeting) · zh сэляму (friendly, informal greeting) · yue 你好 (friendly, informal greeting) · de hallo (friendly, informal greeting) · pl cześć (friendly, informal greeting) · tl hoy (friendly, informal greeting) · kmr silav (friendly, informal greeting) · alt эзен (friendly, informal greeting) · ne हाइ नमस्कार (friendly, informal greeting) · tt сәлам (friendly, informal greeting) · tg салом (friendly, informal greeting) · sh ćȃo (friendly, informal greeting) · mns-nor пася (friendly, informal greeting) · ur سَلام (friendly, informal greeting) · sms tiõrv (friendly, informal greeting)