Valedictory
/ˌvæl.ɪˈdɪk.tər.i/noun
Serving as a farewell or intended as a goodbye speech or gesture.
Did you know?Its core Latin parts are *valē* (“be strong, fare well”) and *dicere* (“to say”), so the word carries the ancient power of speaking a departure into existence.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
valē dīcere
“to say farewell; literally, to say 'be well'”
Late Latin
Latin
valedictōrius
“pertaining to saying farewell”
16th–17th Century
English
valedictory
“of or relating to a farewell or leave-taking”
Modern English
English
valedictory
“serving as a farewell, especially a final speech or address”
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