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DictionaryhowdyInformal greeting
interjection

howdy

HOW-dee/ˈhaʊdi/

A friendly, informal greeting.

I wave to my neighbor and call out, “Howdy!”

Two neighbors meet on a sidewalk and smile warmly as one raises a hand in an informal greeting.
Etymology
howEnglishin what way
+dEnglishfare
+yEnglishyou

“How do ye?” originally asked after someone’s health. Contracted into howdy, that inquiry became a familiar greeting rather than a request for an account of someone’s well-being.

In context

Moz presenter0:06
Howdy Moz fans and welcome to another edition of Whiteboard Friday.
Top 4 Ways to Use Social Media to Earn Links - Whiteboard Friday
Scotty McCreery0:09
Howdy, Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Scotty McCreery & Lauren Alaina | Talks at Google

More examples

  • “Howdy, folks, come on in!”
  • She greets everyone with a smile and a cheerful “howdy.”
  • “Well, howdy, stranger, it’s been a while!”

Similar words

hello
A neutral greeting used in both casual and formal settings.
hi
A casual greeting without howdy’s folksy or regional flavor.
hey
A very casual greeting that also gets someone’s attention.