English word hey comes from Proto-Germanic *ajją (Egg.), Old English (ca. 450-1100) ēa, Proto-Indo-European *kewh₂-, Proto-Indo-European *kowə-, Proto-Indo-European *kowH-
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *ajją | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Egg. |
| ēa | Old English (ca. 450-1100) (ang) | |
| *kewh₂- | Proto-Indo-European (ine) | |
| *kowə- | Proto-Indo-European (ine) | |
| *kowH- | Proto-Indo-European (ine) | |
| ǣġ | Old English (ca. 450-1100) (ang) | |
| æg | Old English (ca. 450-1100) (ang) | Egg. |
| *hawwaną | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | To chop, to hew. To forge. |
| *hawją | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Hay. |
| hīeġ | Old English (ca. 450-1100) (ang) | |
| ey | Middle English (1100-1500) (enm) | |
| hey | English (en) | (country dancing) A choreographic figure in which the dancers weave between one another. (US, Australia, Canada) An informal greeting, similar to hi.. A meaningless beat marker or extra, filler syllable in song lyrics.. A protest or reprimand.. A request for repetition or explanation; an expression of confusion (see also eh, huh).. An exclamation to get attention.. An expression of surprise. |