valediction

English

WOTD – 2 February 2011

Etymology

1614. Borrowed from Latin valedīcere, present active infinitive of valedīcō (“bid farewell”), from valē, imperative of valeō (“I am well”), + dīcō (“say”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌvæl.əˈdɪk.ʃən/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

valediction (plural valedictions)

1. A speech made when leaving or parting company.
2. The act of parting company.
3. A word or phrase said upon leaving, such as "farewell" or "adieu".
   • 1952 January, Henry Maxwell, “Farewell to the "T14s"”, in Railway Magazine, page 57:

     Yes, the tide will surely turn, and meanwhile may one who is proud to call himself a partisan, invite whomever may feel disposed to bid the "T14s" adieux, to pause before giving them valediction and accord to them the respect that is assuredly their due.

4. A word or phrase used to end a letter or message.

Synonyms

• (phrase ending letter): complimentary close, complimentary closing

Hyponyms

• (phrase ending message): sincerely

Related terms

• Vale
• valedictory
• valedictorian
• diction

Translations

speech

• Bulgarian: прощална реч f (proštalna reč)
• Faroese: skilnaðarrøða f
• Finnish: jäähyväispuhe, jäähyväissanat pl
• French: discours d’adieu
• Georgian: გამომშვიდობება (gamomšvidobeba)
• German: Abschiedsrede (de) f
• Italian: commiato (it) m
• Romanian: discurs de adio, discurs de rămas bun
• Spanish: alocución de despedida
• Swedish: avskedstal (sv) n

act

• Bulgarian: сбогуване n (sboguvane)
• Catalan: comiat (ca) m, despedida (ca) f
• Finnish: jäähyväiset (fi) pl
• French: adieux (fr)
• Georgian: გამომშვიდობება (gamomšvidobeba), გამოთხოვება (gamotxoveba)
• German: Abschied (de) m, Abschiednehmen n, Verabschieden n
• Italian: commiato (it) m
• Lithuanian: commiato m
• Romanian: despărțire (ro) f, rămas bun
• Spanish: despedida (es)
• Swedish: avslutning (sv) c, avsked (sv) n

word or phrase upon leaving

• Finnish: hyvästelysana
• French: adieu (fr), salut (fr), à la prochaine (fr), chao (fr)
• Georgian: გამომშვიდობება (gamomšvidobeba), გამოსამშვიდებელი სიტყვა (gamosamšvidebeli siṭq̇va)
• German: Abschiedswort (de) n, Abschiedsworte (de) pl
• Italian: addio (it)
• Romanian: adio (ro), rămas bun
• Spanish: adiós (es), hasta luego (es), chau (es), hasta la vista
• Swedish: avskedsfras c, adjö (sv) n

word or phrase to end a letter or message

• Dutch: afsluiting (nl) f
• Finnish: lopputoivotus
• French: salutation (fr) f
• Georgian: გამოსამშვიდებელი სიტყვა (gamosamšvidebeli siṭq̇va), გამომშვიდობება (gamomšvidobeba)
• German: Grußformel (de) f, Schlussformel (de) f
• Italian: chiusura (it) f
• Romanian: formulă de încheiere
• Spanish: despedida (es) f, antefirma f, fórmula de cortesía f
• Swedish: sluthälsning c, hälsningsfras (sv) c

See also

• salutation