goodbye
Americaninterjection
noun
-
goodbyes
plural
noun
-
a leave-taking; parting
they prolonged their goodbyes for a few more minutes
-
a farewell
they said goodbyes to each other
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But ultimately, it was to sort of say goodbye in a way that he felt would be most appropriate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
There was also footage of the family waving goodbye.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
"I said goodbye to you and did not know what lay ahead," he said referring to their final meeting.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
“The buck stopped here,” Solimene wrote in a goodbye email to colleagues.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
One fine day they bade goodbye to their families and set off upstream in a canoe, promising to return with the rains.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
They are also all, he said, about a series of goodbyes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
McCall said his goodbyes to the StoneX Stadium after last Saturday's win over Harlequins.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
Kopitar admits the goodbyes have been emotional at times.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 11, 2026
Traditionally, Irish culture values goodbyes that are warm, friendly and sincere.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 13, 2026
When they do begin to say their goodbyes, Celia is embraced no differently than anyone else, and given several invitations to meet for tea while the circus remains in London.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
