Hullo

/həˈloʊ/ interjection

Definition

An old-fashioned or informal way to say hello or greet someone.

Etymology

A variant spelling of 'hello,' which itself evolved from 'hallo,' an exclamation used to attract attention. The word likely comes from the older 'holla' or 'hollo,' used when hunting or calling across distances.

Kelly Says

British writers like Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes stories use 'hullo' constantly—it became so associated with British English that it's now a time capsule marker for early 20th-century dialogue, even though it's basically just an alternative hello.

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