farewell

¹ American  

[fair-wel] / ˌfɛərˈwɛl /

interjection

1. goodbye; may you fare well.

   Farewell, and may we meet again in happier times.

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noun

1. an expression of good wishes at parting.

   They made their farewells and left.

2. leave-taking; departure.

   a fond farewell.

3. a party given to a person who is about to embark on a long journey, retire, leave an organization, etc.

adjective

1. parting; valedictory; final.

   a farewell performance.

Farewell ² American  

[fair-wel] / ˌfɛərˈwɛl /

noun

1. Cape, a cape in S Greenland: most southerly point of Greenland.

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farewell British  

/ ˌfɛəˈwɛl /

1. goodbye; adieu

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noun

1. a parting salutation

2. an act of departure; leave-taking

3. (modifier) expressing leave-taking

   a farewell speech

verb

1. to honour (a person) at his departure, retirement, etc

Etymology

Origin of farewell

First recorded in 1325–75, farewell is from the Middle English word farwel. See fare, well ¹

Example Sentences

Weather presenter Carol Kirkwood said it had been a "privilege and honour" to have been welcomed into viewers' homes for 28 years, as she bade an emotional farewell to BBC Breakfast.

From BBC

Once Jason had said his thank-yous and farewells, he opened the employee door to exit the building and found himself walking through his own front door.

From Literature

It is also a time of farewells, when school graduates leave their hometown while many corporate professionals receive assignments in new cities.

From Barron's

Mary, her right arm extended toward Christ in a gesture of farewell or a reference to heaven above, forms part of a diagonal cutting across the painting that adds more dynamism to the drama.

From The Wall Street Journal

Since it announced its closure, I’ve been visiting as often as I can to say farewell, not only to the charmingly shabby faux-1920s interiors, but to the many lives I’ve lived at its tables.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• adieu
• bon voyage
• goodbye