hey

/heɪ/

casual greeting or attention-getter

Hey, how are you doing?

A friendly way to greet someone or start a conversation

informal

An informal way to get someone's attention or greet them

Hey, can you pass me the salt?

Used to politely ask someone to do something

Hey, what's up?

A casual way to ask how someone is doing

Common in spoken English, especially among friends and in casual settings

Collocations

hey therea friendly way to greet someonehey youused to get someone's attention

used to get someone's attention

a friendly greeting

The same word 'hey' can sound friendly or demanding based on tone and context

'Hey' is informal and best used with friends, family, or in relaxed settings

Originated in Middle English as a variant of 'hi', possibly from Old Norse 'hei' meaning 'health'

Often used in informal contexts, can be friendly or demanding depending on tone

English Dictionary