how do you do meaning

The phrase "how do you do?" is a formal, old-fashioned greeting used mainly when meeting someone for the first time. It is not a literal question about how someone is feeling but rather a polite way of saying "pleased to meet you" or "nice to meet you." Traditionally, the correct response is to repeat "how do you do?" back to the greeter. However, this phrase is rarely used in modern everyday conversation and may sound very formal or archaic. More common greetings today would be "nice to meet you" or simply "hello".