Where does “Hello” come from?
Hello (English) comes from English holla, from English holler, from English hollow, from Middle English holow, from Old English holh, from Proto-Germanic *hulhwą.
Ancestry of “Hello”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | holla | Alternative form of hollo; API; what's up; a... |
| 2 | English | holler | A yell, shout; By extension, any communication to... |
| 3 | English | hollow | A small valley between mountains; A sunken area... |
| 4 | Middle English | holow | Alternative form of holgh; Alternative form of... |
| 5 | Old English | holh | a hollow |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *hulhwą | — |