Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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adj
Of or pertaining to a valediction (“an act of parting company; a speech made when parting company”); designed for or suitable to an occasion of bidding farewell or parting company.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Synonyms: apopemptic
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Of or pertaining to a valedictorian (“the individual in a graduating class who delivers the farewell address, often the person who graduates with the highest grades”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Canada, US, not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An address given on an occasion of bidding farewell or parting company.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A speech given by a valedictorian at a commencement or graduation ceremony.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Canada, US, specifically
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adjective
of or relating to an occasion or expression of farewell
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
of a speech expressing leave-taking
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
a farewell oration (especially one delivered during graduation exercises by an outstanding member of a graduating class)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: valediction, valedictory address, valedictory oration
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: oratory
History
From Latin valedictum + English -ory (suffix forming nouns meaning ‘that which pertains to’, or adjectives meaning ‘of or pertaining to’). Valedictum is the accusative supine of valedīcō (“to bid farewell; to give a valediction”), from valē (“farewell, goodbye”) (the imperative of valeō (“to be healthy or well; to be strong; to have influence or power”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h2welh1- (“powerful, strong; to rule”)) + dīcō (“to say, speak”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- (“to point out”)). By surface analysis, valedict + -ory.
Across languages
9 source translations are retained for this English entry.
