howdy

English

Alternative forms

• howdie (noun)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhaʊdi/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aʊdi

Etymology 1

Shortened form of "how d'ye (do)" (i.e. how do you do).

Interjection

howdy

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

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

Derived terms

• boy howdy
• howdy-do
• howdy doody

 

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.