ave

¹ American

[ah-vey, ey-vee] / ˈɑ veɪ, ˈeɪ vi /

interjection

hail; welcome.
farewell; goodbye.

noun

the salutation “ave.”
(initial capital letter) Ave Maria.

Ave. ² American

Or ave.

abbreviation

avenue.

Ave ¹ British

/ ˈɑːvɪ /

noun

short for Ave Maria See Hail Mary
the time for the Angelus to be recited, so called because of the threefold repetition of the Ave Maria in this devotion
the beads of the rosary used to count the number of Ave Marias said

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Ave ² British

abbreviation

avenue

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

ave ³ British

/ ˈɑːvɪ, ˈɑːveɪ /

welcome or farewell

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ave

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English, from Latin: 2nd-person singular imperative of avēre “to be well, fare well”

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.

He became West Ham's fourth permanent manager in six years and, despite overseeing a relegation, still boasts an impressive CV, having also managed Rio Ave, Valencia, Porto, Wolves, Spurs and Al-Ittihad.

From BBC • May 17, 2026

Despite a snowy nor’easter that rocked the Tri-State area, Dimon and his lieutenants pushed ahead on plans to gather with investors at the bank’s new headquarters at 270 Park Ave.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

At the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Rome's southern EUR district, bells played "Ave Maria" for Riccardo as hundreds of people spilled out into the street, far too many to fit inside.

From Barron's • Jan. 7, 2026

Unlike the original Lawrence Ave location, there’s plenty of seating, so you can dine in and enjoy your meal.

From Salon • Sep. 29, 2025

For some reason this particular day Fulton Street felt like Broadway, or Fifth Ave, one of those kind of streets.

From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023