Hullo
/hʊˈləʊ/noun
An informal greeting used to attract attention or express surprise.
Did you know?Hullo is a variant of hello, which surged in the 19th century as a calling cry and was later popularized by telephone use, turning a loud attention-getter into a normal greeting.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
hallo
“a cry used to attract attention or express surprise”
Early Modern English
English
holla
“a shout to stop or call out to someone”
19th Century
English
hello
“an exclamation used in greeting or to call attention”
19th-20th Century
English
hullo
“a variant spelling and pronunciation of hello, used as a greeting or exclamation”
Modern English
English
hullo
“an informal greeting or attention-getting exclamation”