adieu

American  

[uh-doo, uh-dyoo, a-dyœ] / əˈdu, əˈdyu, aˈdyœ /

interjection

1. goodbye; farewell.

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noun

plural

adieus, adieux

1. the act of leaving or departing; farewell.

adieu British  

/ əˈdjuː, adjø /

1. goodbye; farewell

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Etymology

Origin of adieu

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Middle French, equivalent to a (from Latin ad “to”) + dieu (from Latin deus “god”)

Explanation

Adieu is a French word meaning "goodbye" that is commonly used in English, especially in the phrase "I bid you adieu!" Adieu is one of those borrowed foreign words we’ve tried to make our own. But why would someone say adieu instead of goodbye? Maybe they're trying to be funny in an overly formal way. Maybe they're trying to spice up their vocabulary. Or maybe they're quoting that song from The Sound of Music: "Adieu, adieu, to you and you and you-ooh!" Saying plain old "goodbye" can get boring, so next time try something like "adieu," "adios," "auf wiedersehen," or "sayonara."

Example Sentences

"He never stopped renewing himself, reinventing himself, and in doing so conquering successive generations," Macron said, adding: "Adieu Bébel."

From Reuters • Sep. 9, 2021

“I shall only tell you that ’till you bade us Adieu, I hardly knew the value you had taught my heart to set upon you.”

From Washington Post • Nov. 16, 2019

Adieu, my old home, dear nest of my children.

From The New Yorker • May 7, 2019

In his poem, “Waving Adieu, Adieu, Adieu,” Stevens wrote, “Ever-jubilant, / What is there here but weather, what spirit / have I except it comes from the sun?”

From New York Times • Oct. 2, 2015

"Performing works up a thirst like nothing else—save dueling, perhaps. Adieu, my young friend. Come see us again."

From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood

Related Words

• farewell
• goodbye