Valediction
[val-ih-DIK-shən]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Latin, mid-17th century
1.
The action of saying farewell.
2.
The word or phrase used to close out a letter before the signature.
Examples of Valediction in a sentence
"Make sure to give your mother a valediction before you leave for the weekend."
"I always struggle with choosing an appropriate valediction for emails to my boss."
About Valediction
There’s valediction (the act of saying farewell), valedictorian (the student chosen to deliver a farewell address at a commencement ceremony), and valedictory, which is the noun for that speech, or an adjective describing something of a farewell nature.
Did you Know?
If you’re a regular at church, you’ll know the benediction is the blessing given at the end of the service. Valediction has a similar Latin etymology. “Bene” in Latin is to wish well or bless. “Vale” is goodbye and “dicere” is to say. Benediction or valediction — depending on the context — are both appropriate ways to say goodbye.
