howdy

English

Alternative forms

• howdie

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhaʊdi/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aʊdi

Etymology 1

Clipping of howdy-do, from how-d'ye-do (“how do you do”).

Interjection

howdy

1. (US, regional, informal) An informal greeting.

   Howdy folks, and welcome to our ninth annual chili cookoff!

Derived terms

• boy howdy
• howdy doody
• meowdy

Descendants

• Sranan Tongo: odi

Translations

hi — see hi

Verb

howdy (third-person singular simple present howdies, present participle howdying, simple past and past participle howdied)

1. (transitive) To greet informally, especially by saying "howdy"
   • 2016, Brynn Bonner, Dead in a Flash, page 249:

     I stood up for the kid and it got ugly, with accusations being thrown in both directions. So the sheriff and I weren't exactly on howdying terms when that fire happened.

Etymology 2

Unknown.

Noun

howdy (plural howdies)

1. (Scotland) A wife.
2. (Scotland) A midwife.