hidy
A friendly hello, kin to howdy.
Also called hi'dy, howdy.
Updated September 24, 2026
hidy pronunciation
/HIGH-dee/
Meaning
South Midland and Appalachian greeting you throw out when you walk up on somebody. Same job as howdy or hi, just a local shape of it. You might hear "Hidy" by itself, or "Hidy, y'all" when you step into a store or onto a porch.
How folks use it
- “Hidy, stranger. You lookin' for the feed store?”
- “She waved from the porch and hollered, "Hidy!"”
Origin and etymology
A regional form of howdy, which itself comes from "how d'ye" (how do you do). Dictionary makers mark hidy as South Midland U.S. Mountain talk keeps that friendlier, shorter hello alive.
Frequently asked questions
Is hidy just howdy with a different accent?
Pretty much. Speakers treat it as its own greeting, but it comes from the same howdy / how-do-you-do family.