hey
English
/heɪ/
interj
Definitions
- An exclamation to get attention.
- A protest or reprimand.
- An expression of surprise.
- An informal greeting, similar to hi (hi).
- A request for repetition or explanation; an expression of confusion.
- A meaningless beat marker or extra, filler syllable in song lyrics.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English hey inherited from Old English *hē.
Origin
Old English
*hē
Gloss
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- hallo English
- hay English
- lo English
- hei German
- гей Russian
- ey Spanish, Castilian
- hey Spanish, Castilian
- hej Swedish
- heja Swedish
- halo Polish
- *hē Old English
- hīeġ Old English
- hīġ Old English
- हे Sanskrit
- halou Middle English
- hey Middle English
- hei Old Norse
- हे Hindi
- ey Turkish
- ei Middle High German
- hheyi Swati