hello (English)

Where does "hello" come from?

The word 'hello' originated from the Old English interjection 'ēalā' and was further shaped by the Old Saxon 'halōn,' meaning to fetch or call out. While often wrongly attributed to Thomas Edison’s telephone usage, the term actually evolved from earlier variants like 'holla' and 'hallo' used to draw attention. It represents a long linguistic journey, potentially blending archaic shouts for a ferryman with the common expression 'hey' and 'lo.'

Full etymology tree

• hello (English), 'A greeting used when answering the telephone.'
  • inherited holla (English), 'Alternative form of hollo.'
    • inherited hallo (English), 'Alternative form of hello (“greeting”).'
      • inherited hallow (English), 'A saint; a holy person; an apostle.'
        • borrowed holloer (Old French)
      • influence halo (Old Saxon)
        • derived halōn (Old Saxon), 'to call, appoint'
  • inherited hollo (English), 'Hey, hello'
    • inherited hallo (English), 'Alternative form of hello (“greeting”).'
      • inherited hallow (English), 'A saint; a holy person; an apostle.'
        • borrowed holloer (Old French)
      • influence halo (Old Saxon)
        • derived halōn (Old Saxon), 'to call, appoint'
  • inherited hēlā (Old English), 'heel (of the foot)'
  • inherited ēalā (Old English), 'oh; hey; good heavens; frequently glosses Latin O and eheu.'

Direct ancestors

• halon (Old Saxon)

Updated June 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris