hey

[ hey ]

interjection

1. (used as an exclamation to call attention or to express pleasure, surprise, bewilderment, etc.)
2. Informal. hello: used as a greeting.

hey

/ heɪ /

interjection

1. an expression indicating surprise, dismay, discovery, etc, or calling for another's attention
2. an exclamation used for emphasis at the end of a statement, or alone to seek repetition or confirmation of another person's statement
3. hey presto
   an exclamation used by conjurors to herald the climax of a trick

Word History and Origins

Origin of hey¹

1150–1200; Middle English hei

Word History and Origins

Origin of hey¹

C13: compare Old French hay, German hei, Swedish hej

Example Sentences

“We’ve had kids that say ‘Hey, you know what?

From Los Angeles Times

“We’re not doing it because no one’s ever picked up the phone and said, ‘Hey, we’re doing this,’ so we’re not doing it,” he says.

From Los Angeles Times

“And then last Friday, when that exact journalist responded and said, ‘Hey, I’m alive b***h,’ that is extremely brat.”

From Salon

They’re gonna be like, hey, can we please grab all of your specials?

From Los Angeles Times

He was so famous, so powerful, that he could tell his secretary or assistant to get him the phone number of the hot young actress who was written about on Page Six right alongside the column item about himself, and he could call her up and say, hey, would you like to go out to dinner with me tonight?

From Salon