goodbye

American  

[good-bahy] / ˌgʊdˈbaɪ /

Sometimes goodby, or good-bye

interjection

1. farewell (a conventional expression used at parting).

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noun

plural

goodbyes

1. a farewell.

goodbye British  

/ ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ /

1. farewell: a conventional expression used at leave-taking or parting with people and at the loss or rejection of things or ideas

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noun

1. a leave-taking; parting

   they prolonged their goodbyes for a few more minutes

2. a farewell

   they said goodbyes to each other

Etymology

Origin of goodbye

First recorded in 1565–75; contraction of God be with ye

Explanation

Goodbye is a parting word, something you say to other people when you're leaving. You might say goodbye to all your favorite teachers on your last day of high school. A goodbye means that someone's departing: you say goodbye to your parents when you go off to college, and you also say goodbye to guests when they leave after a visit. The original goodbye, dating from the 1570s, was godbwye, which was a contraction of the farewell phrase "God be with ye!"

Example Sentences

Goodbye to the credo: “Rain or shine, I never miss a Sunday morning at church.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

The subject has come up because Kate Winslet is talking to the BBC about her first Christmas film for almost 20 years, Goodbye June.

From BBC • Dec. 10, 2025

A young Zohran supporter will wave a hand: Goodbye, who needs you?

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025

Earlier Sunday, police had fired teargas to disperse hundreds of people in Tchiroma's northern stronghold of Garoua, where activists carried Cameroonian flags and banners reading "Tchiroma 2025" and chanted "Goodbye Paul Biya, Tchiroma is coming".

From Barron's • Oct. 27, 2025

“Oh,” came Nellie’s tremulous voice, “that’s wonderful, dear. Goodbye, then.”

From "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" by Kate DiCamillo

Related Words

• adieu
• bye-bye