valedictory

Meaning

Adj

1. (not-comparable) 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.
2. (Canada, US, not-comparable) 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”).

Noun

1. An address given on an occasion of bidding farewell or parting company.
2. (Canada, US, specifically) A speech given by a valedictorian at a commencement or graduation ceremony.

Synonyms

valediction

farewell

valedictory oration

parting

valedictory address

lecture

address

speech

Translations

d’adieu

Abschiedsrede

αποφοίτωντος

αποχαιρετιστήριος

adieu

d’addio

di commiato

discorso di commiato

حفلة الوداع

veda kabilinden

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˌvælɪˈdɪktəɹi/

Etymology

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.