# eh

> English word · Interjection · IPA /eɪ/ · frequency rank #4,595

## Definitions
1. Used as a tag question, to emphasise what goes before or to request that the listener express an opinion about what has been said.
2. In isolation, a request for repetition or clarification of what has just been said.
3. In isolation, expressing surprise or confusion
4. An interjection used to ascertain the continued attention of someone addressed by the speaker.
5. Expressing apathy or lack of enthusiasm; meh.
6. Expressing apprehension following or preceding a reasoning or excuse; uh.

## Etymology
Natural exclamation; first recorded mid-16th century. Perhaps an unstressed variant of aye (“yes, yeah”).
The Philippine sense is possibly influenced by Tagalog e and/or Spanish eh.

## Easily confused with
- **ex** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-ex)
- **et** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-et)
- **EU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-eu)
- **em** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-em)
- **el** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-el)
- **en** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-en)
- **er** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-er)
- **EP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-ep)
- **ES** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-es)
- **EV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-ev)
- **ew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-ew)
- **ey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-ey)
- **ez** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-ez)
- **Ek** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-ek)
- **EI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-ei)
- **eo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-eo)
- **EJ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-ej)
- **end** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-end)
- **eye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-eye)
- **era** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eh-vs-era)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/eh