# hallo

> English word · Interjection · IPA /həˈləʊ/ · frequency rank #39,343

## Definitions
1. Alternative form of hello (“greeting”).
2. A cry of surprise.

## Etymology
From Middle English halou, halow, halloo (interjection used to call attention), representing Old English hēlā, ǣlā, ēalā (“O!, alas!, oh!, lo!”), equivalent to hey + lo.

## Easily confused with
- **hao** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-hao)
- **hell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-hell)
- **hill** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-hill)
- **hull** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-hull)
- **halt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-halt)
- **haul** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-haul)
- **halo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-halo)
- **Hilo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-hilo)
- **hello** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-hello)
- **hills** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-hills)
- **holly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-holly)
- **halls** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-halls)
- **hella** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-hella)
- **hilly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-hilly)
- **hells** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-hells)
- **hulls** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-hulls)
- **halts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-halts)
- **halve** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-halve)
- **holla** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-holla)
- **hollow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hallo-vs-hollow)

## Common misspellings (4)
`ahllo`, `halol`, `hhallo`, `hlalo`

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